The Long, Hot Summer
by Shawn30
Summary: The Finale:  By her side...
1. Chapter 1

**Title: "The Long, Hot Summer"**  
><strong>Written by: Shawn <strong>

**Chapter (1/5)**

**Summary: Tommy and Kim finally attempt to hash out their emotional issues, but anger and bitterness leads them down a dark path neither could have imagined.**

**Category: Erotica/Romance/Angst **

**Rating: Hard NC-17 **

**Timeline/Spoilers: Summer of 1997 following the Power Rangers Turbo season - Rangers have passed the Torch - Zack, Trini, and Jason have returned from the Peace Conference. Billy is healed and fine.**

**Disclaimer: Saban owns it all again.**

**Authors Notes 1: Slightly AU timeline wise as Rangers are all 20 or so here - Tommy/Kim never had their talk after the events of the Turbo movie as she went right back to Florida. This story will span the entire summer of 1997.**

**Authors Notes 2: Love, regret, passion, anger, and growing up are all issues explored here.**

**Authors Notes 3: I will only post this when all five are done. Then I will post each one day after the other.**

**"In our minds, love and lust are really separated. It's hard to find someone that can be kind and you can trust enough to leave your kids with, and isn't afraid to throw her man up against the wall and lick him from head to toe."**  
><strong>~ Tori Amos<strong>

**"It is love rather than sexual lust or unbridled sexuality if, in addition to the need or want involved, there is also some impulse to give pleasure to the persons thus loved and not merely to use them for our own selfish pleasure."**  
><strong>~ Mortimer Adler<strong>

**"Lust is what keeps you wanting to do it even when you have no desire to be with each other. Love is what makes you want to be with each other even when you have no desire to do it."**  
><strong>~ Judith Viorst<strong>

**The home of Rocky DeSantos **

**Friday, June 2, 1997 9:00 PM **

**Angel Grove, Ca**

When the creaky old basement door slammed shut and locked from the inside behind her, Kimberly knew she'd been tricked. She was trapped with no hope of escape. Trini had, in her own way, decided what was best for her. The Rangers resident psychiatrist-of-sorts deemed her most esteemed patient needed to finally deal with the emotional train wreck she caused a little over a year ago.

Now as the heavy footsteps echoing down the staircase toward her caused her heart to clench painfully, there was only one way out of this basement and she knew she wasn't going to make it past him. She had to finally face the music. To finally face him. "Did you put Trini up to this?"

Tommy's first thoughts upon seeing her were that she always had the uncanny ability to make simple look sexy as deadly sin. She wore a short wine colored dress, sophisticated enough to make her look every bit the confident young woman she was, and snug enough to draw the attention of every man in the room. Her smooth, toned legs drew his attention momentarily from the task at hand. Desire had never been a issue between them, though they had never crossed that line. Trust...  
>it was everything and now it was lost. But at least he could get his answers. "You ran out after the whole Maligore affair without a saying a word. You never responded to any of my phone calls. You disappeared.<br>I just want to know why you don't you want to talk to me at all? Am I really asking for so much when I ask for closure."

Her head bowed as this confrontation was now inevitable. Her arms closed around herself. "Maybe I have nothing to say."

"You're a better person than that."

Her reply fell softly between them, "I'm not." She slowly turned to him, her moody gaze fixated on his dark brown eyes as he stood at the foot of the stairs, waiting for her. What they once shared was so innocent and precious. Her first true love. So... beautiful. And now it was utterly broken.

Anger swelled within him as he'd waited nearly a year for answers as to why she broke his heart so viciously. What bits and pieces he could put together about how she was doing across the country left him with as many new questions as old. She was now a mystery to him, when once she was his other half. "All I'm asking for is the whole truth,  
>whatever it is. After that you can keep on running."<p>

Swallowing hard, her voice cracked with emotion. "And if it makes you hate me even more?"

"So be it."

He doesn't know that she cringes at the thought of him hating her, and she knows he did or still does. A part of her lived easier with the guilt when he was out of sight, out of mind. But standing here with him again, its intoxicating. She can barely breath. The absolute fear of telling him everything has finally been eclipsed by the sheer need to finally unburden herself. carrying all this around for so long has worn her out. It had to end no matter what.

Summoning up all her courage, Kimberly boldly invaded Tommy's personal space, standing as tall as she could to face him. Still he towered over her, seeming bigger than when they dated. Darker. Older and more... just more. He looked so damn good when he was angry. But he was hurt as well, and that didn't make this easy. She hated herself enough already. "You know his name."

Tommy nodded, his throat closing tight as the answers that have buried him for the last year were about to be revealed. "James."

His tone of voice was as if the word tasted like acid. She couldn't blame him. "Yeah, he was two years older than me and from Arizona, so he was far from his family too. We were both homesick and pretty overwhelmed by all the media attention and expectations. I thought I was prepared for professional gymnastics, but the training and dedication was so intense. He was training for the Triathlon and we both ran on the same track each morning. That's when we started talking a lot."

With the loud music of Rocky's birthday party blaring overhead,  
>Tommy's face grew as cold as ice. "Couldn't you have made some female friends?"<p>

She didn't wince, but she wanted too. More than anything else, she wanted to run. "I did."

"Then why not turn to them when things got tough? Why not turn to your friends here? Or your mom? Or me?"

She sighed, knowing this was going to be a defining moment in her young life thus far. She thought of lying to him so that he would never know the truth. Maybe tell him there was no guy at all. But she'd done enough lying already. Whatever he was to think of her character after this talk, she knew she had to get this off her chest once and for all. And there was no way to sugar coat it or protect him from the pain to come.

At some point she just had to do the right thing.

Suddenly, everything came out at once. "Here's the deal, Tommy. He was there and so was I. We were both going through the same crap and I wanted someone with me. I needed someone there and you weren't. That's not your fault and its not fair and there's nothing more you could have done. I started to fall in love with James because of his caring and personality. I hated that I felt that way and purposely began pushing you away, even though I knew I was breaking your heart. I wish I would have broken up with you before I actually cheated, but I didn't. It was a month before I got up the courage to write that stupid letter, but at that point I was near a nervous breakdown from the stress of preparing for the Pan Global Games, keeping my grades up, worrying about you and the others each time the news came on about a Ranger fight, being homesick, and dealing with my conflicted feelings for someone else. I was a total mess. Someone I don't think you would even recognize."

Tommy absorbed her words as if they were physical blows, but he'd expected this all along. She was giving him exactly what he asked for,  
>even as his jaw tightened and he fought off the raw emotion of now knowing she just didn't want him anymore. He'd known that fact before tonight, but never heard from her own lips. And still she meant so much... to much to him and he hated that and her and everything about this. But a part of him still felt something more. He sincerely wished he could tear that part of himself out his body with his bare hands.<br>"Go on."

Once upon a time he felt closer to her than she ever imagined she could let someone in. Now the distance between them felt insurmountable. She knew that she had fallen so far from where he had always placed her in his heart and the feeling sank darkly within her.  
>But at least she knew he deserved truth. All of it no matter what. "I regret hurting you more than anything in the world," she began softly.<br>"But I fell in love with James. It wasn't right to cheat on you, but it happened. I can't undo what's been done. As for our relationship,  
>it was really good. He was patient and understanding."<p>

"And I wasn't?" Tommy snapped loudly.

Kimberly flinched. He'd never sounded so angry when talking to her before. She accepted it, nonetheless. She couldn't blame him. "You were wonderful to me."

"Just not wonderful enough to remain faithful?"

He verbally slapped her. "That was my mistake alone. It wasn't your fault." He shook his head angrily, and then began circling her, his right hand grazing over his chin as if he couldn't decide what to do or how to feel. She felt exactly the same way. "I'm sorry."

Her apology didn't fix a damn thing, but what more was she to say?  
>Tommy wasn't sure he could even accept it. At the end of the day she had chosen someone else. That was what killed him inside. When once he was her everything, now he wasn't anything and he didn't remember changing. "Was it worth it? Were you happy?"<p>

"For a long time, yes, I was." She knew that wasn't what he wanted to hear. He suffered while she moved on happily and that wasn't something a man ever truly made peace with. "We were a good match," she paused before announcing, "But four months ago he broke up with me." Tommy's strong arms crossed, his only reaction. "He wanted to further his education abroad in Paris more than continue a relationship with me.  
>And he accused me of my heart not being in it with us anymore."<p>

"What, did you cheat on him too?"

That verbally stung like a motherfucker. Her inner pit bull wanted to tear him a new one, but he'd suffered over this. Her broken heart tried patience. "No, I never cheated on him."

"I guess he didn't deserve that."

"Neither did you."

"Then you should have never done it!"

"Don't you think I fucking know that!" she shouted at him, thankful for the loud music and dancing taking place over their heads. "I'm sorry. What more can I say? What more can I do? Would you like to hear that I cried my eyes out for days, because I did. Wanna hear how humiliated I felt for getting dumped for a freaking school? Or that I can see in your eyes you look at me like I'm a slut."

"I don't think that."

Fire laced her response, "I got my heart run over by a fucking train just like you did, so feel free to thank Karma for repaying me the pain I caused you. I am not happy or satisfied or in love or prancing around like life is wonderful." Her mouth quivered as she fought her feelings tooth and nail. "I'm all alone and I'm sorry."

Her gut-wrenching apology should have reached him, but it didn't. He could barely breath, as if the air around them was stifling. "Did you sleep with him?" The light in her eyes dimmed before his and then she looked away, painfully. He knew what he asked wasn't his business, but her initial silent answer burned him alive.

"We were together for over a year, Tommy. Yes, we slept together."  
>When he turned his back to her she felt stained and dirty, as if she'd lost something she could never replace in his eyes. "I'm sorry for cheating on you. I'm sorry for breaking your heart in such a dumb,<br>foolish way. I'm sorry for avoiding you and not having the courage to face you sooner. I'm sorry that... I'm just sorry."

Glancing over his shoulder wearing a grim expression, Tommy pondered,  
>"I thought you felt something when we saw each other again."<p>

"I did," Kim declared emotionally. She knew shouldn't have admitted that and regretted the second she did. But something new simmered just beneath the anger and pain as they held each others stare. "Ever...  
>ever since the whole Divatox thing I... something in me changed," she tried to explain with her hands. "I'm not sure if it was being with you again or seeing you with Katherine. I don't know."<p>

"Is that when things with James began to change?"

Her voice fell as faint as a whisper. "That's not a fair question."

"This isn't a fair world."

She faced him head on, her own anger rising. "Seeing you with Katherine shook me up, alright," she admitted. "I've never seen you with another woman before. It hurt me." She impatiently waited for his response, but he only stared at her. Through her. "There, are you happy?"

"Yes." His chest felt as if it were imploding as horrible images of her making love to a faceless man tore him up inside. "I hate that you fucked him."

His words were crude, so unlike him. Pain could do that to a guy. Kim was no different. "Yeah, well, I'm not exactly keen on you sleeping with Katherine either. And don't deny that you did."

"I won't," he replied, trying not to enjoy the jealousy written all over her face. And then something dark and hot swept over him as they faced off. "Was he good?"

Tommy didn't need to elaborate further on what he meant. And Kim wasn't backing down anymore. "Was she?"

"I asked first."

Rolling her eyes, Kimberly looked away. "It doesn't matter."

Who were they, Tommy thought to himself? They never, ever talked this way to each other before. How had things changed so drastically between them? Weren't they friends once, or were they in love before they even realized it? He felt so many damn things for her it hurt his head to think about them all. "Why don't you fight for James?"

Her mouth opened, and then clamped shut. Her mother had asked the exact same question. There was no use in lying. "I thought about it,  
>but when he was about to leave some part of me felt we'd gone as far as we were supposed to go. I grieved for what we had, but I knew it was over. Maybe he sensed it before I did..." She mentally walked through what was and where she had been. "I don't seem to be a relationship expert."<p>

Why did the mere sight of her still draw him ever closer. Tommy was at odds with himself even as he invaded her personal space, now gazing down into her eyes. "Sometimes I hate you."

"I know," she replied defiantly. "I wish I could forget the way you made me feel."

"I want to kill James."

Since the unaltered truth seemed to finally be free, she fired away as well. "And I want to run Katherine over with my car for ever touching you."

"You're not the woman I thought you were?"

"... must suck that I'm still the woman you want?" What on Earth possessed her to say that? She nearly swore under her breath, and when his eyes darkened she swallowed hard in the back of her throat. She didn't mean to notice he was aroused despite their argument. She didn't know why she was as well. "If I had to do it all over again, I would have broken up with you before cheating. But I'm sorry, I don't regret my relationship with James. I needed to go there in order to get here, where I am now in my life. I have my regrets, but I love the life I've made for myself."

Her toughness used to charm the socks off him. Now he only glared at her beauty. "Did you love him more than you ever loved me?"

Kimberly blinked, suddenly floored by his query. "... that's."

"Answer me?"

"Fuck you!" When she attempted to turn and walk away he grabbed her forearm. "Let me go!"

It was now or never and he knew it. "Answer the question?"

"It doesn't matter," she complained, resenting his refusal to back off.

"It does," he practically snarled, and then drug her against his body,  
>refusing to let her go. "Answer?"<p>

Her chin lifted defiantly, brown eyes boring into his. "Yes, I loved him more than you." Her best effort to sound convincing failed miserably. She wished more than anything to get Tommy out of her system, but the reality was when she saw him again last year a flood of emotion roared back to her. He glared, and then a ghost of something dark crossed his eyes. She felt it too. They were on the precipice of...

Bending down to her ear, he whispered, "Liar."

She hated her body's reaction to the warm, solid body pressed against her. "To hell with you!"

"I truly, deeply loved Katherine more than I ever loved you." When she slapped him with force, the audible crack echoed around the room. She was beyond pissed at him, her chest heaving, and her response was his heaven. "Did I touch a nerve?"

"You've never 'touched' me," she fired back seductively. "Not like James did... so many times." She jerked her arm, but he was to strong and wouldn't let her move away from him. He was to damn close and so warm and God... she just wanted... "Either let me go or..."

"Or what?"

The mood was electric, raw, and vibrant with sheer emotion as they breathed in each other, their eyes locked in a wage of wills until Kimberly uttered the words that detonated the moment.

"Go for it."

Incited by some midnight aspect of his soul that had forever wanted her, Tommy's mouth slanted down on over hers so hard she swooned,  
>sealing their lips with a deliriously powerful kiss that left her woozy with intense need. Her arms clutched tightly around his neck,<br>fingers digging into his soft dark-brown hair while her tongue fucked his mouth so ravenously his cock jerked hard with jealousy between them. He easily lifted her off her feet with his strong arms, holding her around her slender waist as her heels slipped off her feet onto the floor.

The desperate hunger with which they fell to the floor, wrenching and tearing off their clothes with reckless intensity set them on fire.  
>Reason and consequences be damned, their angry thirst for each other consumed them whole as they moved over the carpet until that incredible moment when he settled over her, between her thighs, poised at heaven... and then the very first time his cock parted her liquid-smooth sex until she owned all of him inside the heated confines of her body.<p>

Wild, wide-eyed stares left them both speechless as the one line they had never crossed was forever erased! They trembled as one, unable to believe what they were doing. Her senses were on red-alert as she never, ever thought she would have him this way. Throbbing and so damn hard inside her that her lips parted when he gave her that last sweet inch that locked them fully together. Her body clasped around him, and the lustful expression that he wore was one she would never forget.  
>She bit her bottom lip while groaning his name as his body covered hers fully.<p>

Blinded by the sheer awe of being inside Kimberly at long last after so many years of wanting her more than anything in then world, Tommy couldn't fathom pleasure this absolute existed as he was buried inside her so deeply he silently prayed for control.

The blaring base of the music upstairs had nothing on the sheer beat of their hearts as Tommy and Kim became one over and over again. They couldn't steal their eyes away each other for even a second, gauging every little nuance, treasuring every hungry sigh as his muscled body moved over hers. They weren't conscious as to how this even happened.  
>But they couldn't stop. God help them, they couldn't stop to save their lives!<p>

"Oh God," Kim softly breathed over his warm mouth as their bodies rocked together in a age old rhythm of hungry mating. She felt his heart thunder over her chest, even as she felt so full of him tears wet her eyes. Mindless to everything except how exquisite she felt wrapped around him, Tommy captured her mouth in a soul-stirring kiss when her inner walls flexed hotly around him. She tasted so damn good he swore against her probing tongue. Slow thrusts saw their low moans become grunts of passionate exertion as they were lost in each other,  
>kissing so deeply while fucking over the carpet.<p>

"I... I hate you you were with Katherine," Kim hissed through clenched teeth, her slick sex wetly suckling around the hard shaft spreading her flesh so deeply. Mercy, the sounds their bodies made aroused her incredibly.  
>Her pink nails grazed over the hard muscles of his back, memorizing every inch of the man she's always desired. "God, I hate it," she swore when his warm mouth closed around a taut nipple, his tongue lashing her until her back arched before suckling powerfully. His teeth nipped at the peaked tip, and then his mouth drew harder and harder, sucking it fully. Pleasurable shivers roared through her body each time his cock grazed the sensitive ridge of her clit as he claimed her in the dim light of the basement. Carpet burns on her back be damned, if this was the one and only time she would have him, would allow him to have her, then she would murder every memory he had of anyone before than her. "This is so wrong."<p>

And yet her strong, toned legs locked harder around him, her ankles clasped over his lower back as he fucked her harder on the black carpet of Rocky's basement. The air filled with the wanton scent of their coupling as the party roared over their heads. Her hands roamed, and then grasped the heaving curves of his backside as he moved inside her. She clasped tightly around him when his teeth bit at her neck, marking her. The heady sounds of his heavy breathing, the dark warning that lit his passionate gaze left her so wet as he glided smoothly in and out of her. This was the thrilling, fiery, so wrong-its-right passion they tried to fight, but at last gave into the years of unresolved sexual tension they shared.

Exerting powerfully between her slender, smooth thighs, Tommy mouth closed over the regal column of her throat, then lazily lashed his tongue over her pulse. She was so tiny and soft beneath him. Yet so strong and hot and so snug his eyes squeezed shut as fucking her was beyond the most incredible pleasure he had ever known. Her soft,  
>flushed skin was so perfect he could scarcely believe it. "I hate James," he groaned as their bodies collided rhythmically. "Can't stand that you were with him!" One hand gently cupped the back of her head,<br>his fingers tangling in her chestnut locks. "Hate the thought of you... Fucking hate it!"

"What about Katherine?" Kim fired back hotly over the shell of his ear while clenching hard around his every withdrawal. She moved in wicked tandem with him, taking as she gave, one her fists locked around his ponytail, yanking it just to hear him grunt. Her toes curled when his thrusts sped up. "She was hot for you even before I left town. I hate you slept with her. Want to kill something just thinking about you and... ahhhh Tommy..."

"Wanted... wanted it to be you first."

"Should of been me always." Her small hands filled with the firm cheeks of his toned ass, loving the way they felt in her grasp as his fucked her so damn good. Her hands traversed his back and shoulders,  
>peppering mindless kisses all over his face even as she knew this was the biggest mistake of her entire life. They were kissing again, mating hungrily in the dark, their tongues wildly caressing each other. "But I fucked up," Kim moaned as they switched positions, with her now seated fully over his lap, his throbbing cock buried balls-deep inside her. She rocked back and forth, rising high only to drown him in wet-heat as she descended until her backside rested over his thighs. Both her hands reached behind his head, holding onto his ponytail as she grind-fucked to the rhythm of the music playing upstairs. She loved the way his body tensed beneath her, the sensual sounds he made as she took him. His hands grasped her ass hard as she rode him at a steady gallop. "I don't love you..."<p>

"I know," Tommy began counter-thrusting, lifting Kim's petite frame,  
>bouncing her hard on his cock. Her lips parted in ecstasy. She was all flushed cheeks and wild eyes, more beautiful to him than he had ever seen before. "You're a liar." He rose, sitting up, kissing her thoroughly as they fucked just like that.<p>

Grinding hard over his lap, Kimberly tugged at his ponytail to reveal his throat. She sank her teeth into his skin, rolling her slender hips in tight circles as she rode him. His strong arms held her so tight,  
>the sensation so exquisite. Her sex wept all over his cock as they kissed hungrily through every lush impact of their bodies. This wasn't love making. This was hot, end-of-the-world fucking. "I don't want you!"<p>

"They why," Tommy moaned angrily, "Is my cock," he turned them over again, his large frame covering hers, "Buried inside you?"

"Fuck you!"

"Exactly!" he proclaimed, claiming her as his and his alone. "You're mine!"

"Never," squeaked from her kiss-swollen lips even as her sex swallowed him whole, drawing snug around him. Even as her body roared toward a delirious climax that she knew would cripple any before it. She was being pounded into the floor, rug burns no doubt on her back and his knees. They were grinding harder, straining towards each other,  
>glistening with sweat and exertion and anger and regret and so many damn conflicting emotions she couldn't think straight. Didn't want to think, just feel. Feel and fight and take! If it weren't for the party upstairs someone would no doubt hear them. "Better enjoy this while it lasts. Won't...God, won't ever..."<p>

Her thighs tightened around him, as he found her mouth a addiction he couldn't live without. He kissed her again, grazing hotly over her soft lips. "You can go back to James for all I care."

"Tell me..." Her body worshiped his cock as the wicked sound of their flesh slapping violently speared the air. "When you fuck Kat, you ever think of me?" No reply save his teeth sinking onto the other side of her neck. She cried out, "Ever wish it was me beneath you? Ever wish I was the one bent over your bed?"

"Never!"

"Liar," she didn't ask, she declared, as Tommy's body stiffened. "You wish she could make you feel like this. But you only want me, still.  
>Even after everything and all this time," she pressed her lips to his,<br>and then whispered, "You hate that you love me so much."

"I hate you ever came back to town." Tommy left marks on her neck that weren't there before the party. And faint bruises on her inner thighs from how hard they were fucking, straining into each other, drowning in the fiery heat of mating hungrily.

"I'm in your bloodstream just like you're in mine!" Kim dug her nails in his back, wondering who would catch them? Who would notice they were gone and look downstairs? Maybe Jason or Trini trying to find out how things went? Would it be Katherine, a dark voice chanted in her ear about his currently ex-girlfriend. Would his precious Kat see the vicious truth that only Kim could please him? Did she want that, or just not care enough and wanted Tommy? Their clothes were strewn about the floor, and the scent of fucking hung thick in the air as did their grunts and moans and the sounds of their bodies colliding. She couldn't help rocking her hips at him, forcing him deeper while squeezing so hard around him.

"You'll never forget this night!" he declared roughly in her ear, to which she answered. "You're easily forgettable!" He pounded her into the floor, uncaring for anything save forcing her to cum. To bath his cock in her juices until she couldn't see straight. "You're mine!  
>Always been mine!" She wrenched at his pony-tail, glaring into the dark pools of his eyes.<p>

"Never yours!"

"Keep lying to yourself." His mouth covered her as their bodies trembled violently. He sucked her tongue into his mouth, hard, His thrusts rubbed over her clit at such a exquisite angle she began bucking wildly beneath before excruciating pleasure burned through her with the sweetest agony. Groaning with each gasping breath, her sex squeezed rapidly around him, drawing his climax until he roared into the crook of her neck as his seed surged out of him into her in violent bursts that stole all his strength until he had nothing left.

Minutes later they laid side by side, gazing at the ceiling in shock.  
>Their clothes were thrown everywhere, while they each felt as if they'd been in a fight moroso than had sex. Sweet loving making or passionate sex wasn't what they shared tonight. They fucked each other as rough and hard as they could as if it was the only way to deaden the pain of all they lost.<p>

Sore all over, her hair a complete mess, and uncomfortable to say the least, Kimberly slowly sat up. "I'm on the pill. Zordon provided me with something special."

Tommy's eyes shut as he hadn't even thought of the consequences of their actions. He could only nod, but not look at her. What they just did, the things they said, it wasn't them. It was them, but not who they were. And he wasn't sure he liked who they became. He couldn't wrap his mind around some of the things he said to her, or her to him.  
>This night was a huge mistake and... and it was everything he had ever wanted. "I'm not going to thank you for giving me the truth and closure I deserved anyway."<p>

Scrambling for her clothes, Kim struggled to her feet as muscles that hadn't been used for months got the workout of a lifetime tonight. Her knees nearly buckled as she moved. She wanted to clean up in the basement bathroom and get the hell out of here. "I'm done apologizing for all of it."

Tommy sought his clothes, as neither looked at the other for a couple of moments. "I don't ever want to think about what happened here."

"And don't you dare ever tell anyone," Kim pointed at him, and then brushed some of her hair back. His neck was covered in marks and bites, while his shoulder had two long scratches. She could only imagine how bad she looked. "This was a mistake."

"We finally agree on something."

She nodded, even as her heart didn't seem to know what to feel. He was the mystery and the light and everything she wanted to forget and never could. "Don't think about me when I'm gone."

"I wasn't thinking about you while you were here." He wanted to hurt her, and his words did as he recognized it in her eyes. There was that familiar ache to ease any pain she felt, alongside the anger that she broke his heart. "Do you have anything else to say?"

"Did I scream James's name when I came? That's what I'm used too."  
>What she said was meant to enrage him. Mission accomplished as he scowl said it all. "This will never, ever happen again." Turning, she gathered the rest of her things and walked toward the bathroom.<p>

"Good. Because I don't want it or you ever again."

**The End of Chapter 1**

**Chapter 2: A blizzard buries Angel Grove as Tommy battles his feelings and lust for Kimberly.**

**ps: this entire story is done and ready to be posted.**


	2. Chapter 2

**Title: "The Long, Hot Summer"**  
><strong>Written by: Shawn <strong>

**Chapter (2/5)**

**Summary: A blizzard buries Angel Grove as Tommy battles his feelings and lust for Kimberly.**

**Category: Erotica/Romance/Angst **

**Rating: Hard NC-17 **

**Timeline/Spoilers: Summer of 1997 following the Power Rangers Turbo season - Rangers have passed the Torch - Zack, Trini, and Jason have returned from the Peace Conference. Billy is healed and fine.**

**Disclaimer: Saban owns it all again.**

**Authors Notes 1: Slightly AU time-line wise as Rangers are all 20 or so here - Tommy/Kim never had their talk after the events of the Turbo movie as she went right back to Florida. This story will span the entire summer of 1997.**

**Authors Notes 2: Love, regret, passion, anger, and growing up are all issues explored here.**

**Authors Notes 3: This series will be a series of 1 scene chapters and I will only post this when all five are done. Then I will post each one day after the other.**

**Authors Notes 4: This chapter takes place 17 days after the first.**

**"Now I'm sitting here goin' half crazy 'Cause I know she still thinks about me too And it ain't no way in hell That I can be just friends with you**

**And I wish we never did it And I wish we never loved it And I wish I never fell so deep in love with you and now it ain't no way we can be friends**

**The way it felt no fakin' it Maybe we were movin' just a little too fast But what we've done we can't take it back"**  
><strong>~ lyrics from the song "Can't Be Friends" by Trey Songs<strong>

**Driving on Jaynesway Drive **

**Saturday, June 19, 1997 10:30 PM **

**Angel Grove, Ca**

"This is fucking insane!" Tommy swore as his Jeep swerved a bit past the Stop-Sign at the end of the corner on a sheet of black ice. Gusting winds of white blew at his windshield while he struggled for control of the vehicle. "Gonna be a wild and crazy night."

As renowned scientists and meteorologists from around the world recently converged on the state of California for what they called a "Event of Biblical Proportions," the former leader of the Rangers knew that within the next six months all the unpredictable weather patterns battering the state would come to a end.

Gritting his teeth as he drove all of 15 miles per hour with barely a half a block's visibility before him, Tommy tried to wrap his mind around the fourteen inches of snow still falling and current blizzard conditions hitting Southern California. Their last battle with Divatox, when they destroyed her and her ultimate weapon left a gigantic neowave of alien energy over the entire state. According to Billy this energy was harmless to the public outside of creating wildly un-Californinia-like weather, but would last a maximum of six months.

To say the residents and City Council of Angel Grove were horrifically unprepared for a blizzard was the understatement of the millennium. Last he heard this morning the National Guard was being called in.

Even his vaunted driving skills were being tested as he carefully navigated the icy streets on his way to the Genesis Theater. "Crazy, crazy, crazy!" Tommy chanted while shaking his head in disbelief as he seemed to be the only person dumb enough to drive tonight. The dark roads were empty as people with good common sense, unlike him, knew to stay at home. But Kimberly's garbled phone call twenty minutes ago, coupled with her current car being a piece of crap Rocky nicknamed "Crappy," left him wondering if she was stranded at work.

Jason lived closer to her job.

Adam lived closer to her new apartment.

But she called him... reached out to him... And after a little over two weeks he was starving to see her again, though he'd denied himself. She hadn't called him, they hadn't run into each other, and he wanted it that way. Even as day and night his mind couldn't possibly forget what happened in Rocky's basement. How she'd been so hot and sexy and just thinking about the sensual sounds she made had his cock stirring in his jeans even though it was a robust 6 degrees outside and he had the heat blasting.

Nonetheless, tonight she made the first move. And though he had the option to call on one of the other guys, he'd tore through the the apartment for his new winter coat, boots, and car keys before he even realized it. A part of him, buried bone deep, was dying to see her again. Was dying to... "Stop it!" he declared to himself, and then hoped he wasn't going nuts by talking to himself. The marks she left on his neck had finally faded, but the one on his soul felt omnipotent. It was only great, fantastic sex! That was his mantra. Hot, rough sex on basement carpet! That's it, nothing more. That night he hadn't wanted anything more than the truth, and he got it. That truth was as painful as he imagined it would be, but at least he had his closure.

So why did they fuck each others brains out?

Even as he barely made out the neon-sign of the theater she worked at out in the distance, he still didn't have a answer. Sure, she was gorgeous. Her gymnastics-honed figure was toned and delicious. Her darker brown hair was a bit longer off her shoulder, and she carried herself with an older air of femininity. Her sensual confidence was a big turn on. But none of that should have erupted what happened between them.

They didn't even each like each other anymore. He certainly didn't trust her at all.

Still, Tommy couldn't get her out his mind! Couldn't forget the sweet taste of her mouth, or the way she bucked and jerked beneath him. The unforgettable expression she wore when she came and... "Fuck!" Tommy shouted to himself when he almost missed turning into the theaters parking lot and skidded sideways off the road. His heart was pounding as he regained control of his car. "Why the hell am I doing this?"

Somewhere deep down, he knew the answer.

Maneuvering over the sheet of ice that was the small parking lot, he wanted to strangle the owner for even trying to open today. They'd closed early according to the sign on the door, but Kim was still here, probably closing things down on the paperwork end. He parked next to her dark blue 1993 Ford Escort Wagon.

Kimberly was the assistant manager of this small 4-screen movie theater and totally living on her own now, financially. Her parents handled college, but the rest was all on her. He admired that. Her work ethic was impeccable and her independence was compelling. In his head he sometimes saw her as two totally different women. The one he used to love more than his own life, and the one who broke his heart as if he meant nothing to her ever. Reconciling the two would take time.

After slipping on his gloves, Tommy shut off the Jeep, grabbed his keys, and raced out the car toward the front entrance of the movie theater. Trudging through knee-deep snow as the icy winds beat down upon him, swirling all around him as he began to bang on the locked entrance.

From behind the concession stands counter, Kim finished replacing the soda cups, utensils, and popcorn boxes. It still made no sense to her to even try and open today, but her boss wanted the business so they made the attempt. Even the new Brad Pitt movie couldn't get women out in a blizzard. Thankfully, intelligent people stayed home, and hey, she got a full eight hours of pay, so whatever. The former Pink Ranger cracked a smile, and then sighed as she dreaded the insane drive home she was about to attempt in her crappy car. Well, it wasn't quite as crappy as Rocky made it out to be. It was just cheap. Something to get her to next year when a less crappy, but still not new car would be her reward for saving her money and being a smart girl. If her parents were rich then she'd get that cute pink BMW she wanted so badly, but alas, they were very Un-Beverly Hills 90210-like.

From over her shoulder she heard loud pounding on the front glass doors. All by herself, she turned to see some tall guy in a heavy coat and skull cap pounding on the door. "Who is this idiot out here in this blizzard?" She knew the entrance was locked, but certainly didn't want to deal with some nut-job during what Angel Grove newscasters coined as 'Snow-megedon.' Still, it wouldn't hurt to slip a knife in her back pocket. A girl couldn't be to cautious these days.

Maneuvering around the concession stands she stalked toward the entrance while pointing towards the sign that clearly stated the theater was closed. It was only when she got right up to the door that she recognized the crazy man standing outside in the blizzard. "Tommy?" Undoing the lock, she quickly swung the door open and ushered him in. He was literally covered in white flakes from head to two, his face flushed red, his pants and boots caked with snow. "What in the hell are you doing here?"

Thankful for the warmth of being inside again, Tommy shivered when snow chilled over his neck as he yanked his skull hat off. "I got your phone call, but couldn't understand what you said. I thought you might be stranded at work or something."

"I called your number by accident. I was trying to reach Adam cause he lives closer to my apartment, but his car is snowed in." Tommy's deer-in-the-headlights expression was nearly as cute as how he looked in that huge black winter coat, with his pants and boots covered in snow. She glanced out the window, noting the empty roads in both directions and the blizzard that looked incredibly dangerous.

"Oh," was all that Tommy could say, now feeling incredibly embarrassed and stupid. "Uhm..."

She hated that seeing him brave a blizzard for her warmed her heart so completely, or that she thought he looked adorable covered in snow, or that the mere sight of him made her pussy throb, or that... dammit, she just missed him. And here he was, being all sweet and caring and she wanted to forget him and the volcanic sex they had and how he felt so good inside her... she couldn't stop thinking about him!

"Hey, the least I can do is give you a free Ultra nachos," she offered with a grin, pretending to not be totally charmed that he came all this way out in a blinding snow storm just because he was worried about her. And when he smiled she wanted to hug him close, but didn't. No more touching Tommy was her new mantra. Touching Tommy led to fucking Tommy and that was never going to ever, ever, ever happen again! Her foot was squarely down on the matter. "Come on, Snow Man."

Chilled to the bone as Tommy was, heat rushed back to him at the seductive sway of her little ass in those snug faded blue jeans. Nevermind the butcher knife in the right back pocket. Wait, what? "You have a knife in your back pocket."

"And here I thought you were just staring at my ass," she joked.

"I was, but that's beside the point." She was grinning and he knew it even though he couldn't see her face. He unbuttoned his heavy winter coat while taking a seat at the concession stand, hooking it around the chair. Even her blue, long-sleeved button down Genesis Theater work shirt looked sexy to him. "Did you think I was a serial killer?"

While warming a box of Ultra nachos in a small heater-oven, she turned to face him across the counter. Her mouth quirked amusingly. "You could have been anyone. And I'm not going to simply scream and yell for help. I stab crazy people." Taking the knife from her back pocket, she laid it on the counter. "I have always lived by the saying that you should kill the serial killer before the serial killer kills you."

Shoving his hat and gloves in his coat pocket, Tommy fought the raging urge to lean over the counter and just kiss her. "Cute."

"I try." Despite trying to clean everything up and put things away so she could leave, she still fixed his reward. The Genesis Ultra Nachos were topped with melted cheese, refried beans, olives, onions, tomatoes, peppers, and sour cream. A dieting woman's worst nightmare, a teenagers wet dream, or for someone like Tommy with a incredible God-gifted metabolism to eat anything and never gain a pound it was heaven. When she shoved it his way he dug in immediately, seemingly enjoying it. Dammit, there it was again. That warm flutter feeling while watching him thoroughly enjoy something she made. Even after all this time and everything that happened he still touched her heart. She just wasn't sure if that was a good thing anymore. "You shouldn't have come."

He met her gaze. "I had to make sure you were alright."

Her gaze ducked away. How could she fight that when despite everything if the situation was reversed she would have come after him too no matter what. For some strange reason the question came to her where would they be right now if... well, there were so many ifs. Probably not a good idea to dwell on them. "Thank you."

"You're welcome," then flashed her a little smile, "if you make me a Slurpee."

Damn tummy flutters. "The machine's off. Try again." Dammit, they were both smiling to much at each other far to much. This needed to stop. And his long hair was a mess, no ponytail or comb or anything. And instead of thinking him unkept, she found it kinda sexy. She wanted to ruffle his hair and had to close her fist behind the counter to keep from doing it. His jeans and sweatshirt looked thrown on, as if he put on anything nearby and raced out the house... for her. To make sure she was alright no matter what. She knew she had to stop thinking about that. Nonetheless she knew he liked Dr. Pepper, so she made him a medium drink and pushed it his way. "Here."

He took a quick sip, eying how she leaned against the counter with her hip and brushed some of her shoulder-length hair off her shoulder. Her natural allure captivated him still. "You remembered."

"I never forget." His shirt had little bit of cheese smeared on it already. Typical guy, she chuckled, but let it go. Its just not often a guy will brave a damn blizzard for a girl. She was finding it hard to find a way to fight with him. And she was far more comfortable fighting with him than... whatever this was. "Eat up. I'd like to go home while I can still see the roads."  
>"So how are you going to get home?"<p>

She thought it was obvious. "I was going to drive."

Shaking his head, Tommy aimed a nacho her way. "Crappy won't make it. Let me take you?"

Let me take you... a naughty smile tinged at the edge of her mouth. "My car is not that crappy, thank you very much."

Pushing his nachos aside, Tommy stretched his arms out over his head, enjoying the soothing pull of muscle. "You don't have snow tires, your battery is almost dead, and it stalled on you twice this week."

Her brow quirked. "How do you know that?"

"I asked Aisha how you were doing?" Suddenly he hated he revealed his interest, looking away.

So he'd been checking up on her? Damn warm flutters. THIS MUST STOP! Kim gave a little foot stomp he couldn't see. "Thanks, but no thanks." As she began cleaning up and putting things away, she heard him moving around the counter. This was not good! From over her shoulder, she questioned, "What are you doing?" She felt him closing in on her, and hoped he didn't notice her tremble.

"I haven't seen or talked to you since we were together in Rocky's basement," Tommy declared in a tone laced with emotion. Even more than he had intended as he watched her eyes widen a little and wondered yet again what was going through her mind. Had she been unable to think of anything else but their night together the way he had?

Feeling yet again trapped, both emotionally and physically, Kimberly faced him head on. "You know my address and my phone number. I haven't been hiding from you."

There was no arguing that point, so he didn't try. "Don't you think we should talk about it?"

And there it was. That one damn night that's haunted her sleeping and waking hours like a phantom in the dark. Her hands almost pleaded with him to let this go as she struggled with what to do. "I seem to recall you agreeing with me that it should have never happened and would never again." She was as stubborn as he was and this... this was there comfort level these days. She snapped at him, "We fucked! It happened after years and years of us both wanting too. We did it! Blah, blah, blah. Get over it."

Her nonchalant attitude grazed his nerves angrily. His jaw tightened almost painfully. "So it was just sex?"

Swallowing hard, Kim sneaked a small step backward. "Fucking hard on a mutual friend's basement carpet doesn't exactly scream romantic encounter." That wasn't a answer, and because it wasn't he advanced forward after her with quiet insistence. Suddenly the walls were closing in. Her pulse was racing. "I'm sorry if you can't let it go."

"I let you go a long time ago."

"... so I was just..." Kim didn't finish her thought, suddenly hating she might of been nothing more than another notch on his belt. She'd felt many things in his presence before, but never cheap. Never that. The urge to strike him nearly overcame her. "I'm done apologizing about the letter, our past, and all of it. I am fucking done!"

"Not a problem. Its not like you could ever make up for all the pain you caused me anyway."

"Sorry. We can't all be perfect like Saint Oliver."

"I'm far from perfect. I just don't break peoples hearts."

His verbal slap stung to the core. This man made her want to scream sometimes. She vehemently replied, "I never, ever broke yours on purpose!"

"Why is your voice trembling?" Tommy considered as he edged ever closer, giving her no room to escape. He was powerfully drawn to her and following that elemental pull was out of his control. With her, he simply had no control. She owned something inside he that he just couldn't get rid of.

Kimberly took a step backwards, followed by another, and then one more until her back hit the wall. Her traitorous glare undressed him as she fought the blushing heat faintly coloring her cheeks. "Its not my fault you can't stop thinking about me. That is what this is about, right?"

Tommy flashed her a arrogant grin. "Funny. I think its the other way around."

"Oh please," she fired back. "You wish you were in my thoughts."

"I don't care about your thoughts, and I've already been inside you."

Damn phantom memory of them fucking rushed back to her. The weight of him on top of her... the erotic pleasure of him surging inside her, hot and thick... And here they were again, all alone. Fate tempting them one more time. "What do you think you're doing?" He now towered over her, glaring down into her dark brown eyes. He was immovable, trapping her. Wanting her... Nonetheless she was defiant as ever. Her taunting tone of voice tore him to shreds. "What, do you think a couple of orgasms is all it takes to make me come running back to the Good Ship Tommy?" His chiseled arms crossed, wearing a hard expression. "I am so over you," she reminded him. "But if you want proof, fine, kiss me. Right here, right now. See if I swoon like a school girl."

"You never swooned, but you did faint once."

"That girl thought the sun lived at the edge of your smile," she replied arrogantly. "This girl knows you're just another guy."

"Way to be a bitch, Kim."

"Takes one to know one, Tommy."

He didn't mean to scowl, and her smirk appeared far to triumphant.

"Here, I'll make it easy on you." She pulled over a two-set ladder, turned it around, and then stood on the first step, now face-to-face with him. "Go ahead, hot shot. Kiss me and see if the world shifts off its axis."

Despite her bravado, he sensed far more was at work behind her daring gaze. His lips curled into a smile. "You're just a scared little girl."

Boldly, Kim leaned in, tilted her head, and captured his mouth with a lingering caress. Tentative at first, barely brushing her lips over his until he deepened the kiss when his tongue gently parted her lips. She allowed the access, and then hissed when their tongues met. She fought off feeling anything with all she had, but the way he was inhaling her mouth so hungrily had her nipples tightening just from this alone. One deliciously deep and wicked kiss after another until before she knew it both her arms were locked tightly around his neck, desperately clutching him to her. He'd hauled her off the step ladder, his strong arms curled round her waist, holding her off the ground hard against his chest as their mouths plundered each other violently.

The audible sound of her back hitting the wall where he pressed her drew his focus back into play, even as her legs locked tight around his waist. She tasted so fucking good as they kissed in lush, hushed tones. All alone with a dangerous blizzard outside, here and now they were back at square one, the only two people in the world. And in the span of a heartbeat he was lost again, just like in Rocky's basement. Just like every time he kissed her. Bracing her against the wall, he somehow found the strength to break the kiss, forcing her to face him. His voice rasped, "You can't stop thinking about that night anymore than I can," he chanted softly over her mouth before nipping her bottom lip. "Stop denying it."

"Fuck you."

"Already done that. Ready for round two?" Tommy watched her expression darken, her gaze turn cold as she released her hold around him, and then angrily side-stepped past him. His fist pounded at the counter in pure frustration. How could he want someone with every ounce of his being that he didn't trust and hated? Nothing about this situation made sense!

"You can let yourself out." Kim declared without looking his way as she stalked toward one of the theater screening auditorium entrances. She needed the space more than anything in the world as her body felt hot-wired for sex and passion and... and... him.. The double-doors swung behind her and then shut. She raced up the long aisle to the top row V.I.P area for 21 year-old and older, about to do a final inspection of the sofa-chairs for couples when she heard the entrance doors open and then close.

When Tommy came into view she stared at him at the bottom of the stairs, half incensed, half scared... half aroused beyond belief.

The exquisite scent of her and the sweet taste of her had driven him to this madness. Like a caged animal having found freedom after captivity, Tommy took two stairs at a time until he stood before his prey.

"Why can't you let this go?" she whispered as he moved in closer, the shadows drowning them both in darkness.

"I hate you," he gritted out past white teeth as emotion so strong swept through him.

"You don't hate me," she half-retorted while trying to sidestep him. "You just hate how I make you feel." Just like last time his strong grip found her forearm. She struggled, but he held on. She knew a number of break-holds, many of which he taught her, but still she waited for... something to happen. Something just over the horizon.

"I hate that I fell so deeply in love with you."

"Then leave!" she raged. "Go! Free us both, cause this is fucking crazy." Again she angrily tore from his grasp, only to find herself spun around. His strong arms captured hers over her chest, trapping her against him, dragging her back flush to his chest. A hard cock throbbed through his jeans against her backside. The wicked sensation trembled her knees as she unconsciously pressed against him. hating how her body craved him so badly. His low growl, as his warm breath fanned over the nape of her neck sent a rush of liquid desire between her thighs. "There's no way we can be friends."

With his back to the wall, both of them hidden in the shadows, the emotional cord binding them felt unbreakable. Tommy pressed his face into her chestnut locks, breathing in the scent of her. "... you're under my skin," he groaned over the shell of her ear as she half struggled in his captive embrace. He held her arms crossed over her chest, while her ass pressed tightly over his jeans. "... you're in my blood."

"Get a fucking transfusion then. I don't want you anymore," her tone trembled as she struggled.

"Then why are you still here?" Tommy asked at last. Kimberly stilled in his embrace, her heart pounding over his forearm. While using his left arm to keep her arms trapped, his right hand brushed the tenderly underside of her breasts as it descended her petite form, and then deftly undid her silver belt buckle. "You're many things, but weak isn't one of them."

Stop him! Stop him now! But had she ever felt so alive in her entire life? Had she ever wanted a man so badly she ached for him? "Jerk."

Unable to resist, Tommy brushed his lips over the side of her neck. After a long second she moaned softly. After gently grazing his fingers beneath her navel, they dipped as the button on her snug jeans came next with no attempt from her to stop him. "I taught you several arm breaks for getting away from a assailant holding you from behind. Not to mention you could shove your elbow into my ribs from two different angles."

"Giving me ideas?" The unmistakable sound of her jeans zipper falling warred with her gut instinct to run. Get out of here right now! Don't let this man, no matter how desperately you crave him, back into your heart. Even while another part of her declared he never left.

And then his hand descended inside her jeans, slipping past her pink cotton panties until with a deliciously warm caress he firmly cupped her mound. She bucked hard against him, groaning pleasurably, her ass grinding over his cock as his squeezed her damp sex inside her jeans until his fingers were moist with her arousal. Her eyes shut tightly, while her teeth gritted hard. Again, he squeezed her center firmly as a wail of a cry escaped her throat. Her breasts swelled as she arched into him once more. She was speechless, lost in the possessive way he stroked her pussy... and when his middle finger pushed inside her she melted against him. "... hate you."

So tight and wet, Tommy swore mentally, his cock viciously jealous of the finger stroking through the damp chestnut curls of her sex. Releasing her arms, his left hand cupped her cheek, slightly twisting her neck to meet his intense kiss as a second finger thrust and twisted inside her. He inhaled long, slow sucks on her tongue while fucking her deeply. Unable to control herself, she rode the fingers while grinding back against him. They ate each others mouths with wanton hunger, moaning as his thumb rubbed circles over her clit while finger-fucking her harder and faster until she at last cried out into his mouth, trembling in his embrace. Her orgasm saw her knees almost buckle as she came hard around his fingers, her inner walls tensing over and over, her juices slicking his hand until his senses went absolutely mad with desire.

"I have too..." Tommy moved so fast, tearing his right hand from her jeans. He made her watch him suck his fingers dry as he pressed her back to the wall, fell to his knees, and then drug her jeans and panties down to her ankles. "I need..."

"Tommy..." Her breasts swelled, her eyes closed, and her head arched backward as all the air fled her lungs when his warm mouth covered her mound and began sucking on her like a ripe piece of fruit. Stubble rasped against the soft skin of her inner thighs as she was unable to form a coherent thought. She struggled to stay on her feet, her right hand now buried in his silky brown hair as feather-light lashes over her swollen clit saw her straining towards his hungry mouth. She felt sharp sparks of ecstasy as his tongue tasted her, swirling round and round, driving her mad with how thoroughly he was making love to her with his mouth. Her body was on overload, barely recovered from one climax and already rising toward another. The sheer insanity of doing this where she worked, coupled with a blizzard burying the world outside and this man who drove her crazy made the moment incredibly audacious.

And yet she couldn't stop.

Couldn't stop moaning. Couldn't get over how fucking sexy he looked on his knees eating her alive. Couldn't stop the way her fingers combed through his soft hair, or the way she loved the breathy moans he made as he traced her labia with his tongue, caressing the soft, damp folds before boldly suckling her pussy until her left hand fisted and actually smacked against the wall!

The unquenchable urge to taste her was way beyond his control. Tommy fell in love with the way she arched her spine, and when the most cock-hardening noises rose from her throat he came so close to coming in his jeans it wasn't even funny. His hands filled with the sweet swells of her ass as his tongue fucked her deeply. She twisted against his mouth, but he never let her go, suckling her whole... He wanted, wished for, prayed for long, slow nights of lovemaking with this woman once upon a time. Nights where he would take his time drowning her with tender adoration.

But this living, breathing, relentless beastly-desire they shared was without mercy. Even now as his tongue made love to her, as she shivered powerfully when he began suckling her clit until his eyes opened to the amazing vision of her beautiful face contorted passionately as she came with his name flying from her lips. His name! No one else! ...god, the taste of her. She was exquisite, divine, bliss... his tongue bathed her sex until she had to push his head away, shaking against the wall.  
>He stayed on his knees, gazing up at her. Gasping for breath. Rolling his tongue around his lips to capture every drop of her, to forever memorize the taste of this incredible woman. Her beautiful face was flushed, her chest heaving as tiny aftershocks still quivered through her. With a smirk, he inquired, "Best you ever had?"<p>

That cheeky bastard. Kimberly grinned, "Third best."

"Liar."

She paid him no mind, and would never give him the pleasure of knowing that was the absolute best oral sex she had ever received. "Get on the sofa-seat now. And lose the jeans."

Perhaps it was the way her soft, pouty lips parted as she rode him at a lazy gallop... or the seductive sway of her small breasts as her long-sleeved work shirt hung off her slender shoulders... maybe it was the sensual gaze her dark brown eyes focused on him alone... the sexy way she nibbled her bottom lip cause it felt so damn good to be making love... her oh-so-erotic moans of "Ah...ah...ahhh,"... or the hypnotic rise and fall of her hips over his lap that overwhelmed Tommy's heart and soul beyond words.

His strong arms closed tightly around her, nearly as tight as the way her body held him so deeply inside her. All that he could do was watch her, stare, appreciate and worship the divine way she rode him as the sweetest pleasure ever known belonged only to him. He nuzzled her temple before brushing his lips over her ear. When he gently bit at the lobe she purred. When he captured her mouth he drowned her in long, lush kiss as their tongues wetly dueled. He knew was he supposed to hate her. Has hated her on so many nights... and missed her on countless more. Had fallen in and out of love with her and was damn certain she was long gone in his soul.

Lies, all lies.

His fingers tangled in her soft brown hair, clutched at times, marveling at the softness at others.

With her head reclined back, Kimberly rose and fell over his hard cock while holding the back of his head to the side of her neck. His tongue and teeth marked her. Gentler than their first rough time together. Soothing. Passionate and beautiful. She had taken him inside her once more, despite common sense. Despite knowing its a mistake and he doesn't even care for her anymore, much less than love her. But a emotional connection as strong as theirs just didn't die and fade away. Dammit, she hated how much he still meant to her, how when he kissed her coherent thought shut down. How when she gave a little twerk of her hips while squeezing around him it elicited the deepest moan from the pit of his throat. She attacked him there, kissing, suckling, marking him with love bites she would later deny their name.

The sofa-seats were for couples over the age of twenty-one at the movie theater. Soft and wide enough for two, but certainly never installed for what Tommy and Kimberly were using it for.

The warm, snug clasp oh her inner walls flexing around him wore down his self-control one sweet clench at a time. She was grinding over his lap now, while his mouth inhaled a peaked nipple, drawing on it tenderly. His other hand palmed her breast, caressing her firmly while rolling his tongue round and round the tip before sucking on it once more. Releasing the swollen nub with a small gasp, Tommy found her loving expression his undoing. He kissed her again, unconsciously, boldly devouring her mouth while wondering why he didn't care that this was a huge mistake. She didn't love him anymore. Had viciously broken his heart. Had compounded it by writing the letter the way she did and then avoiding him for well over a year.

So why now was he kissing her leisurely, as if he had all the time in the world to enjoy the exotic taste of her mouth? Why was he holding onto her as if she were the most precious thing in his world? Why was he fantasizing about the next time he would make love to her while he was making love to her?

Why was he calling it love making at all?

As she began to ride again, whining softly in his ear a tenderness grew within her. Sinking onto him over and over, slowly fucking herself on his cock because she absolutely loved that raw, primal sexuality he wore all over his face. He was so hard and smooth inside her, filling her so fully the sensation felt illegal it was so perfect. Her right hand lovingly caressed his face, tracing over his jaw, tapering off his chin as he held her stare the entire time. The feelings were to close to the surface, so she dove after him, her tongue probing hungrily between his lips as she rode harder. His hands clasped and squeezed her bare ass in time with her thrusts as the soft, smacking noise of frantic fucking grew until she felt him swell, tense and then throb powerfully inside her.

She ate his orgasmic cry, covering his mouth, swallowing his grunts as his cock jerked and spasmed inside her, bursting spurts of hot, wet heat until she had taken all that he had to give. And even then she kept on riding until she had it all. Until he was dry, empty and broken. Until at last his hands held her hips down, stilling her movement.

They were shivering in each others arms, still connected in every way a man and a woman could be. Brushing his face over hers gently, Tommy pressed his forehead to hers and sighed. Mercy, this was insanity. Kimberly thought the same thing. She never thought they would sleep together. And then after it happened, she was sure it was the fluke of all flukes and something that maybe subconsciously she just needed to get out of her system.

"That was," Tommy breathed softly against her temple. "That was..."

"... yeah," Kim smiled as she couldn't stop herself. Their first time was like a fight to see if they could push the other too far. Tonight was a goddamn revelation. Only she wasn't sure of what just yet. Lifting her head, she brushed some of her hair off her face before taking a good, hard look at him. He was still so damn handsome. Older now. More than he'd been when they were so young and trying to figure out that crazy thing called love. "I do not recommend sex at work," she teased.

"Duly noted," he smiled right back.

"We so gotta stop doing this."

He considered, and then pressed a light kiss to her shoulder. "I do not want to date you," he grinned.

She snickered, "You're kinda boring now. I mean Paleontology, really? Why not major in the art of watching paint dry?"

"I kinda got used to not having to bend over every time I kiss a girl."

"Just like I got used to dating a guy who didn't forget his own birthday, much less mine."

Tommy's eyes narrowed. "I only did that once."

"Once was enough," she pecked his cheek. "Lets get cleaned up and out of here before we're buried alive by the snow-Armageddon outside."

With his winter gear back on, Tommy leaned against the theater entrance doors, waiting for Kim to finish locking up and arming the alarm system. He knew another fight was on the horizon as he watched her wrap a pink scarf around her neck, tucking it inside her winter coat. She pulled over a pink skull cap that ate her head and then her gloves. "I'm driving you home."

Defiant to the bitter end, Kimberly shook her head, and then pointed at him. "Crappy got me here, Crappy will get me home. Now kindly move out of the way or else."

Tommy's arms crossed his chest. "I'm not letting you kill yourself trying to prove your car isn't a piece of junk. It is. Period. End of story. So let me take you home."

Pulling back her sleeve, Kim took a glance at her wrist-watch. "By my estimation we have twenty seconds to walk out this door before the alarm goes off and the cops come running. So unless you want to get arrested, I suggest you vacate the premises." He swore under his breath before ducking outside as howling winds followed her own exit. She hit the last latch, and then side-stepped Tommy on her way to the parking lot.

Snowfall was blinding and insane, coupled with her short height it was like every step she was high-stepping towards her car. She heard Tommy shouting at her, but paid him no mind. She needed distance from him and he didn't get that. All the snow in the world didn't compare to what she was feeling in that theater just a short time ago. Feelings that were dead and gone and buried and... the winds were as wild as her thoughts as she progressed over the small lot to Crappy.

Climbing in, she said a quick prayer the car would start, and when it did she leaned her arm out the window and gave Tommy the middle finger. "That a girl, Crappy, Just get me home. And in seven more months I will retire you to junkyard heaven."

Unfortunately for Kimberly Ann Hart, Crappy only had three blocks left in her as she died in front of a closed 7-11. Crappy, no... She tried restarting the car, but there was no sound. No nothing. Crappy had run her last mile... or block as it was. "Dammit," she roared at her steering wheel, now unable to see anything outside her front-windshield. Here she was, stuck, and nothing around her seemed to be open. Snow falling rapidly and the streets were only getting worse, not to mention they were empty.

She suddenly hated her pride and wished that she had taken Tommy up on his off...

Pounding sounded on her drivers-side window. Snow hit her in the face when she rolled the window down.

"KIM, YOU HAVE TWO OPTIONS. ONE, I TAKE YOU HOME IN MY JEEP. TWO, I DRAG YOU OUT THIS CAR, THROW YOU OVER MY SHOULDER, AND SHOVE YOU IN THE BACK SEAT OF MY JEEP AND THEN DRIVE YOU HOME. BUT ONE WAY OR ANOTHER YOU ARE NOT STAYING HERE ANOTHER SECOND!"

Kim quickly rolled up her window, almost trapping his hand that he snapped away at the last second. She stormed out the car, slamming Crappy's door. "WHAT ARE YOU DOING HERE?"

"IM TRYING TO MAKE SURE YOU DON'T KILL YOURSELF. THE ROADS ARE ICY AND YOUR CAR WON'T MAKE IT. I'M NOT GOING TO LET ANYTHING HAPPEN TO YOU," he declared as loud as he could over the blustering blizzard. "YOU MEAN TO MUCH TO ME!"

Kimberly actually had the nerve to stomp her foot in the snow, despite the tender, warm feelings she just felt after what he said. She sighed, and then grabbed his collar, drug him toward her and kissed him hard. "YOU DRIVE ME CRAZY!"

"Good!" Tommy smiled triumphantly. "Lets go!"

Kim quickly grabbed her purse, slammed the car door, took his hand and ran with him as they raced towards his black Jeep.

Only a second later they both fell flat on their asses on a sheet of ice beneath the snow.

"THAT WAS ALL YOUR FAULT!" Kim shouted while laughing so hard. She wasn't laughing when he threw a handful of snow in her face. "YOU ARE SO DEAD, OLIVER!"

"CATCH ME IF YOU CAN, HART!" He yelled upon taking off for his car.

**The End of Chapter 2**

**Chapter 3: Wild times ahead!**


	3. Chapter 3

**Title: "The Long, Hot Summer"**  
><strong>Written by: Shawn <strong>

**Chapter (3/5)**

**Summary: Throwing all caution to the wind, Tommy and Kim are untamed in their summer affair.**

**Category: Erotica/Romance/Angst **

**Rating: Hard NC-17 **

**Timeline/Spoilers: Summer of 1997 following the Power Rangers Turbo season - Rangers have passed the Torch - Zack, Trini, and Jason have returned from the Peace Conference. Billy is healed and fine.**

**Disclaimer: Saban owns it all again.**

**Authors Notes 1: Slightly AU time-line wise as Rangers are all 20 or so here - Tommy/Kim never had their talk after the events of the Turbo movie as she went right back to Florida. This story will span the entire summer of 1997.**

**Authors Notes 2: Love, regret, passion, anger, and growing up are all issues explored here.**

**Authors Notes 3: This series will be a series of 1 scene chapters and I will only post this when all five are done. Then I will post each one day after the other.**

**Authors Notes 4: This Chapter begins the night of the blizzard that ended Chapter 2, and then will move forward weeks at a time.**

**Passion, it lies in all of us, sleeping... waiting... and though unwanted... unbidden... it will stir... open its jaws and howl. It speaks to us... guides us... passion rules us all, and we obey. What other choice do we have? Passion is the source of our finest moments. The joy of love... the clarity of hatred... and the ecstasy of grief. It hurts sometimes more than we can bear. If we could live without passion maybe we'd know some kind of peace... but we would be hollow... Empty rooms shuttered and dank. Without passion we'd be truly dead.**

**~~ Joss Whedon**

**Kimberly's apartment building **

**Apt: 28 **

**Sunday, June 20, 1997 12:50 AM **

**Angel Grove, Ca**

"Dammit, dammit, dammit!" Kim angrily stomped thick snow off her boots while shivering just inside her living-room as she flipped the wall light switch on and off. Nothing happened each time, further distressing her. The power was off as Snowmegeddan 1997's howling winds robbed Angel Grove of just about every single thing that worked, leaving it in a modern day Stone Age state.

"We are officially in the Bedrock!" She yanked her pink scarf, gloves, and winter coat off, tossing them in her closet rather than even hanging them up as all her patience was gone. Suddenly it dawned her her once more than she wasn't alone when Tommy shut her front door, and then began removing his winter gear. Sudden erotic flashbacks of earlier tonight fluttered through her mind even as she tried to shake them away. "I guess that hot coffee I offered you for the ride you gave me is off."

Grinning evilly, Tommy leaned his back to her front door, watching her pull her boots off in the dark. "So you want me to leave?"

It would be far safer if he did, she surmised. Her emotions were already in a uproar from the depth of caring he showed her tonight... and the way he fucked her so good... she needed... wanted distance... and yet she craved having him closer. Especially inside her, which was bad, bad, and more bad. Craving a man was not healthy for a woman, and yet crave him she did. And that was so damn dangerous. "The blizzard isn't getting any better and the snow plows wont start to hit the roads until it stops snowing." She hated that smirk he wore and wanted to kiss it off... she meant punch it off. Yeah! "Look, I don't want you crashing into a light pole and dying because I wasn't kind enough to lend you my 'couch' for the evening," she emphasized by pointing toward the maroon furniture. Holding in a daring smirk, she brushed past him in the dark, walking over to her window ledge where she sat down and peeked through the curtains. Blustering clouds of white buried the city in a scene almost biblical in nature. "This is insane California weather."

Tommy hung up his coat, gloves and scarf tucked inside the pockets, while his mind raced with the possibility of spending the night with her. All night... he desired that so greatly it scared him. On one level it was normal for any guy to desire a beautiful woman. But considering his storied history with this one, he knew the potential pitfalls were surrounded by wildly flashing red lights. And yet he couldn't walk away without knowing... He gazed at her now, lovely bathed in shadows, her brown hair a bit longer and thicker than he was used to seeing it, but looked nothing less than great on her. Tenderness nearly overwhelmed him as he fought the feeling with all he had. "Billy said the effects of Divatox's machine should fade by summers end. After that it'll be gone for good."

Kimberly felt him move around her, settling in behind her to peek over her shoulder through the curtain. His close warmth soothed her as she swallowed, the cold storm outside nearly finding a match in the one softly brewing between her and her ex-boyfriend. Her feminine instinct was to lean back into him, and she knew he'd fold her in his strong embrace. But she couldn t give in to that. Could she? "Good," she replied softly as they watched the snowfall seemingly erase the world outside her apartment. "It would be nice to get back to clear skies and sunshine."

Tommy settled half beside her, his right leg brushing against her hip as they followed the blizzards wrath in the dark of her apartment. The urge to hold her was shocking in how badly he wanted too. It was one thing to sexually desire a woman. It was another to wish her in your arms and no where else. "Hopefully by mid-afternoon tomorrow the roads will be clear enough and you can get a tow truck for your car."

She chuckled, and then turned to him. "I think its time to admit Crappy has driven me her last mile," she admitted. "I may have to take my Dad up on his offer to help me get a new car sooner rather than later. I didn't want to do that, but oh well."

Her independence was but one of the many sides of her he admired. She made her own way these days, standing on her own two feet. He respected that. "I'll take you anywhere you need to go tomorrow."

His loving gaze squeezed something tender in her chest, and all that she could do was nod and offer a small smile as her attention again focused on the heavy snowfall outside and not the heat simmering between her and her first love.

And then she leaned over and kissed him. Softly at first, until his arms curled around her and she moaned into his mouth. She shifted slightly, settling against his chest, drowning in the thoroughly passionate kiss they'd fallen into. Her head swam and when her arm accidentally brushed over the front of his pants, she found him achingly hard. Her center quivered at the knowledge. She whispered, "We shouldn t be doing this... again."

A smile curled at the end of his mouth. Holding her tight to his chest, and even then she wasn't close enough. "Maybe its fate."  
>He nipped at her bottom lip, causing her to shiver against him. "And what if i don't believe in fate?"<p>

"Then believe in us."

Throwing caution to the wind, Kimberly's tongue parted his lips, deepening the kiss as he half drug her slender form over his lap, now cradling the back of her head while plundering her soft mouth with hunger. She drank in the taste of him, falling deeper into the abyss of whatever was happening between them. Her arms snaked around his neck, drawing him closer, seductively caressing the back of his neck with her fingertips.

When his hand carelessly drifted up her thigh, she moaned, and then somehow tore herself from his grasp. She stood too quickly, almost feeling woozy as she needed a moment of space. Her mind and body weren t on the same page at all. Jesus, this was Tommy. The ex-boyfriend she dumped. The one she still cared about and... and... what she was feeling was a case of too much far too soon. "I'm sorry," she began honestly, wrapping her arms around herself. "I think we need to slow down and stop all the face suckage and work banging and naked Olympics until this makes some sort of sense."

Tommy watched her mouth moving and heard words being said, but wanted nothing more in this world than to grab her right now, hoist her over his shoulder, take her to her bed, undress her, and fuck her brains out all night long and well into the next day until he just couldn t anymore!

What the hell was she doing to him?

Tommy shook his head clear of the cobwebs, and then exhaled a deeply held breath. "Before we start bumping into each other in the dark, got any candles?"

Thankful he let it go, she gave a little nod. "I'll be right back. No need for us to spend the night in the Dark Ages."

Tommy saw her depart for the kitchen, while he stood, stretched and then moved to her couch. Calming his body down wasn't a easy task, but thinking of a naked Goldar did the trick. Ewww, but it worked.

Upon settling in comfortably, he hand felt a thick leather-bound book stuck between the couch pillows. Reaching in, he pulled the book out and opened it. Squinting, even in the dark he made out it was a photo album. One of Kim and her family that he had never seen before.

Blinking wildly, Kim all but shouted, "You put that down right now!"

Peering up, Tommy found his ex-honey with a lit candle in one hand and a heavy-duty flashlight in the other. Soon he was turning away when she shined it in his face. "Are you trying to blind me?"

"Hand it over!"

"Why?" When she sat the candle down on the inn table in front of the couch, she began reaching for the photo album. His superior arm length held her at bay as their struggle made him laugh. "What's the big deal? I've seen your family photo albums before."

She didn't want him to see this one. The one her mom accidentally left here when she visited a couple of weeks ago. The one that seemed to have been created only to embarrass her at every turn of the page. "Its... it sucks, alright." She fought off a playful grin, and then groaned when he snatched the flashlight and began shining it on pages. "You suck too!"

"Yeah, yeah, yeah." Tommy chuckled at the first few pages, which were a photo session of a naked infant Kim on a rug. "The pink ribbon on your head is so cute. And that one tooth of yours makes your smile so nice."

crossing her arms in a mock pose of anger, she replied, "I hate you!"

Snickering, Tommy paid her no mind, even as she gave up the fight and sat beside him, almost leaning on his shoulder. A part of him wanted her too. "Don't worry, these are very tasteful nudes. And that picture where you are trying to swallow your fist, classic."

Kim playfully choked him, and then just gave up as he continued going through the album. "One day I will have my revenge, Mr. Oliver."

"Look at you in your little Princess Halloween costume," he teased as the clearly cheesing little girl in the photo was prancing around in her tiara, gown, and jewels over two pages. "Okay, so next year you were a Tiger?"

She hit him in the shoulder. Hard. "I used to like Tigers, okay. And that outfit was really soft and... hot, but not sexy hot. More like wearing a striped carpet outfit while trick or treating in California heat sort of hot. I almost fainted twice."

Tommy adored the picture, but didn't reveal it. "That wasn't your finest hour."

"Clearly," she laughed with him. "But don't tell me you don't have a embarrassing childhood Halloween outfit?"

"I was Kermit the Frog once." Kim blinked, trying to imagine it. "I was young and my parents thought it was cute. Rest assured I have made sure those photos no longer exists."

Kim gave a shrug. "You were probably the best man-frog ever."

"Thanks," he noted sarcastically, and then began turning the pages until he found a photo of Kim that read 'Age 10 - Grade school dance'. "Hey, is that Jason?"

"Yep, the one and only time we dated." She recalled how awkward it was and yet fun too. "I was crushing big on him at the time."

Tilting his head, Tommy eyed her. "Excuse me?"

Now that drew a chuckle from her ass he appeared just a touch jealous of a pic taken a decade ago. It kinda made her feel good. "Believe it or not, for a couple of months I did indeed have a crush on Jason. He could ride his bike really fast and do tricks on it. I was impressed."

Tommy kept staring at the picture of his best friend and ex-girlfriend grinning as children, dressed up for a school dance. Jason had the worlds worst mushroom haircut. "I could do tricks too."

Now that was cute. So cute she actually leaned over and smooched his cheek just to mess with him. "I was really into guys who could wheelie down the street."

"I race cars, you know."

"Oh shut up." she declared, yawning, while realizing that she was in fact leaning into him. His arm had somehow curled round her waist as they were looking at the pictures together. She flipped a few pages forward to one in particular. "Now that one is my all-time personal favorite."

Tommy took a double-take as he looked from Kim to the picture and then back at her. "You and your brother are covered in mud from head to tow. Even your hair has mud in it."

Proudly, she smiled and began her tale. "My brother was evil. And one day when I accidentally ran his G.I Joe toys over with my remote control Barbie Corvette he sought revenge by putting a few pieces of dry dog food in my bowl of Cheerios. I remember wondering why they were extra crunchy for some reason," she smiled. "When I found out what Mark did I raced outside tackled him in a huge mud puddle and began beating the ever-living crap out of him. My Dad was so furious and My mom nearly had a heart attack, but my grandmother took the picture. She said it marked peace between my brother and I. Boy, we got into so much trouble."

Mark looked teary-eyed in the picture. "You really beat him up."

"I may be short, but I'm tough."

"And Beautiful."

Dammit, she wasn't going to blush. But she did anyway. He still got to her no matter how hard she tried to fight it. "Tell me, was it that wall of hair splattered with mud that made me so beautiful, or that sexy extra layer of dirt on my face?"

"You still looked hot covered in mud."

"You're nuts," she laughed while pressing far to close to him. Yawning once more, the continued their trip down memory lane. "Now this picture right here, I was eleven and totally in love with a boy named Parker who had the prettiest green eyes and a Sigma bike with disc wheels..."

In the dead of night Tommy awoke first to the soft breathing of warmth fanning over his cheek. Yawning as the past evening slowly came roaring back, a mental film-reel of pleasure and conflicting emotions all at once swept over him. Meanwhile, Kimberly slept peacefully on her side, cuddled against him, lying half-over him on the couch. Her arms were wrapped tightly around his middle, clinging to him in her sleep as closely as possible. Her head sought the pillow of his shoulder as she slept while frigid, icy winds put Angel Grove in a deep freeze.

With a sigh his eyes gently blinked away the sleep in the darkness, save for the slowly fading glow of the candle on the inn table. Unable to resist a moment longer, his arms fully embraced her slender form as if to ward off the cold itself, even as his heart warned him that this woman was more trouble than any he'd ever faced before.

And yet he'd die before letting her go.

One hand settled over her lower back, while another cradled the back of her head as she slept soundly. Without thinking he cuddled her against him, mindful of the overwhelming sense of protectiveness he felt for her again. She hummed comfortably against his chest, the soft sound of which soothed his soul as he considered what had happened between them and what was happening now.

This felt worse than perfect.

It felt right.

Even as tonight's dangerous blizzard conditions pelted the window-glass with blustering snowfall, Tommy felt this overwhelming sense of protectiveness and affection for Kimberly once more. He knew the pitfalls of engaging in this illicit affair, but couldn t resist her... couldn t stop thinking their first angry night together. She was constantly on his mind, and he sensed that she was affected as well.

Now as the blustering snow covered Angel Grove, the tender way she snuggled closer in his arms was evidence of trust on her part, and more than friendship on his as he embraced her tighter and would kill to see no other man does that again.

How they'd fallen asleep on the couch and ended up like this, he didn't know. Only that the heart she had carelessly broken felt all of a faded wound, while this new, fragile emotion equally terrified and drew him ever closer to her. Once upon a time in his quieter moments he hoped she would one day down the line become his wife. That was the little, mildly naive dream of young man in love for the first time ever. Life shifted his world off the axis he'd built it on, and now it was shifting again. Even as his head demanded he slow down, create some distance, and not forget this was the same woman who crushed his heart in a letter... another stronger part of him wanted more of this 'new' Kimberly with every second passed that he spent with her.

Little did he know that a minute ago Kimberly woke up as well, but felt far to comfy to make mention of it. She felt him exhale comfortably over her temple, his light stubble prickly over the side of her face. The hand that softly cradled the back of her head made her feel so safe, and so loved. That latter sentiment was insane for her to even consider, although each time they kissed she lost more of herself to him again. Tonight he'd shown her a depth of true caring she hadn t known since... well... him. He came for her during a blizzard and would not leave until she made it home safe and sound.

Inviting him for coffee was a joke of an offer, and she was at least honest with herself about that. Sex at work was beyond crazy and epically stupid, but so damn good and she wanted more. Needed more. Craved more and him and the way she felt when she was with him.

They were so in love once upon a time. Her heart changed in a way she couldn't have fathomed, and here they were.

Two years later felt more like ten with how much both had changed and grew up in their time apart. But now as he tucked her head beneath his chin, clutching onto her tighter, she could do no more than bury her face into his shoulder and pray her heart was strong enough to fight off the feelings that were growing stronger by the day.

His familiar voice suddenly broke through her internal thoughts.

"You're awake, aren't you?"

Kim gave a tiny yawn, and then felt him tuck a errant strand of her brown hair behind her ear. Unconsciously, she leaned into his touch. "Yeah, but only barely." She felt him smile into her hair, and wanted nothing more than to always feel this way. Wildly flashing red danger lights and blaring sirens went off in her logical mind, but her heart just didn't care. "What are you doing up?"

He couldn't answer that he was watching her sleep and enjoying it far to much. Giving a modest shrug, he replied, "Not sure."

She nodded against his shoulder, and then yawned again. "Its gotta be so late."

"My watch says 3:45 AM."

Kim groaned, and then lifted her eyes to meet his. He held her as if he never wanted to let her go, and she liked that far too much. "I can still hear the wind gusting. It still hasn't stopped snowing."

"Gonna be a long night."

"Good thing we got this candle," she joked a second before it finally flickered out dead. "I spoke to soon."

Tommy didn't care as he fought the intense urge to press his mouth to her forehead in a loving kiss.

She hadn't noticed that their legs were entwined, or that she was clinging to him so fully. This was so not appropriate ex-boyfriend/ex-girlfriend behavior. Then again, when had anything ever been normal for them? From teenage super heroes to lovers at last. "Tell me a secret."

Tommy's right hand tenderly grazed her lower back beneath her shirt. "About what?"

"Anything, but its gotta be personal."

He considered her curious request for a long moment, and then gazed into her eyes. "From the moment we made love that first time, I haven't been able to go so long as a single day without thinking about you."

His revelation stole her breath away. A shift was taking place between them. One she wasn't sure of its outcome. "Tell me another one?"

"Its your turn," he kindly reminded her, and then rested his head against the side of hers. "Tell me a secret."

She smiled in the dark, resting against him as he held her close. Being this way with him again was crazy, but felt so nice. "You're the most incredible lover I have ever had. And though my total number is very, very low, in terms of the quality its not even remotely close."

Tommy gazed into her eyes, one part loving his place in her sexual world, while another part of him hated that he wasn't the only man who had ever touched her. "No one has ever hurt me as bad as you did."

That she held that place in his life was heartbreaking. "I've never felt more sorry for anything in my life than for the way I hurt you."

He believed her and still hated a part of her. She was... is the most profound person to his life that he had ever met. He would always love her in some way. Maybe in every way despite it all.

Caressing her cheek in the dark, he gave her something so precious. "I miss you."

The lump in her throat nearly choked her breath as she struggled with how to feel about what he just revealed. Elated? Terrified? Suspicious? Her heart wasn't so sure of anything but that she wanted to be with him tonight. Damn all else.

Seizing the day, as fear never stood in her way, Kimberly carefully disentangled herself from his embrace. She felt his gaze upon her the whole time, quietly waiting to see what decision she just made.

Her choice was simple.

She extended her hand to him.

He was there, before her that very second. She twined their fingers, leading this man to her bedroom where they would make love. Her choice. Her desire.

Him.

She wanted him, and so she would have him. And tomorrow would be whatever it would be.

Her pink nails raked through his dark hair, loving the way he drank from the column of her throat with his warm mouth. Small, panting moans escaped her parted lips as his strong body thrust into her deeply beneath the covers. The sensation of his solid frame rocking into her had free hand clutching a fistful of white sheets. Her legs curled round his waist, ankles locking over his lower back so that he could take her hard... fucking her with every thick inch of his cock. So full of him she almost couldn't stand the pleasure. "Don't stop, baby... God, just like that... fuck... Goddontstop!"

"Can't get enough of you..." Tommy drug himself from the tender side of her neck to her soft mouth once more, plundering her with a wild passion as his hips surged powerfully into hers with relentless urgency. Every taste of her tongue made his cock harder as their hips collided, smacking loudly together with growing intensity. She felt so small beneath him, and yet so aggressive in her own right as they grind-fucked vigorously. "So good... so damn good," he groaned into their kiss, his hands roaming her slender hips as they fucked all over her bed. "Want you all the time...  
>want you so bad!"<p>

Her nails clawed at his sweaty back, as the scent of them lifted from beneath the covers. Her caresses rained down the hard physique of his back until she grabbed his ass, loving the way the muscles strained as he fucked her with long strokes. The husky sounds he made left her shivering as they made love. Sensory overload swept over her, claiming this man inside her so possessively. She bit his neck hard, and then buried her face their while softly whining his name over and over. He pressed his face over her shoulder, kissing and biting, marking her skin. Her legs locked tighter around him, even as her inner sheath drew powerfully around his hard cock, taking all of him while sucking hard around the length.

They were utterly lost in each other, mindlessly driven, clawing and grabbing and sweating as they fucked with hot intensity. Mouths merged wickedly, drawing tongues between lips, hands roaming everywhere. Grunting, moaning... pleading...worshiping each other lustfully. Squeaking bed springs echoed throughout her bedroom until the headboard banged hard against the wall... banging time after time until they finally came together... her sex tensing and releasing around him through a wrenching body-shivering climax as his cock throbbed, bursting inside her in hot spurts, dying the little death until they slumped as one, kissing softly in the dark.

Tommy gasped over her chest, eyes shut tightly, his body robbed of all strength. Of everything he was as she took it all.

Lifting his head slowly, he bent down to press his mouth to hers, mentally swearing that nothing ever felt better than making love to Kimberly. He sighed, overcome by emotion all of a sudden.

"Just kiss me again," she asked, drawing him to her once more.

Yawning awake to a new day, Kim frowned when she rolled over and found herself all alone. Her heart sank before she could halt the feeling as last night had been epic, but this morning apparently she wasn't worth sticking around for.

As she slowly sat up in bed, the unmistakable scent of them still clinging to the air, she tried to wrap her mind around Tommy leaving her bed without so much as a word said. Never mind the blizzard, that just wasn't him. But then again they'd both changed so much in the past two years, who was she to judge.

Her bare feet hit the carpet as she stood upright, and then the subtle ache of last nights sexual escapades paid her a visit. Not to mention after running a hand through her hair, she knew she probably looked like a hot mess, but whatever. A good shower would fix that.

A glance at her bedside alarm clocked read a blinking 12:00. At least the power was back on. The Stone Ages were not fun.

Grabbing a oversized pint t-shirt from out of her closet, she looked around for a note or something signaling where Tommy had went and why.

Nothing.

"Figures," she muttered to herself.

Departing her bedroom, she was suddenly assailed by the wonderful scent of pancakes, bacon, and sizzling eggs as she rounded a corner to find a shirtless Tommy cooking up a storm in her kitchen. It took her a moment to wrap her mind around the scene before her. And try as she did to feel nonchalant, she was elated he was still here.

He hadn't acknowledged her presence yet, perhaps hadn't even seen her. She recalled he d boasted once or twice that he could cook now, ever since getting his own bachelor pad and all. She watched him adding cheese to a skillet of scrambled eggs, while at the same time flipping a pancake onto a stack of them on a plate. Her stomach grumbled with anticipation.

All that she could do was shake her head and smile. The scene was surreal to say the least.

Standing there watching him from afar, Kimberly exhaled all the angst and worry she'd carried around with her ever since that first night they gave in and took each other at last. Her mind and heart fought over the worry of becoming his lover, of how this might ruin a real shot at friendship they could have, and that with their history this could all turn out so bad it might finally be unrepairable.

Suddenly, she didn't care.

Not one single bit.

She was about to start college next fall, was working full-time this summer paying all her own bills and living in her own small apartment. She was happy, healthy, independent and here was this outrageously sexy man in her kitchen cooking her breakfast while half-naked. He was also flat out incredible in bed and what in the fucking world was she stressing over?

Live a little.

She felt a calming sense of purpose, throwing caution to the wind, just like last night. Maybe a fun, sexy summer romance was exactly what she needed. Something not overwhelmed by commitment or seriousness or demands on her time and space. Something wild and untamed and so private no one had to know.

Yes, she wanted that. Wanted him. Trusted him. And with her mildly-augmented ex-Ranger DNA, Zordon's once every six months birth control shot was 100%-no-way-a-little-Oliver was getting through. She covered her mouth to stifle a giggle, and then addressed him. "You are so pussy-whipped."

Tommy spun with spatula in hand, grinning at the sight of her. "Says the woman so out of it from my incredible love making that she didn't even know I left the bed."

"You left the bed to make me breakfast because I was so great last night," she teased wearing a bright smile.

"I might be hungry too, you know."

"Then why are there two plates on my table?"

"Maybe I'm being a gentleman?"

"Maybe..." she declared while yawning, and then walked over to him, her arms crossed. "We need to talk."

Tommy nodded, having expected this. He switched off all the food, then turned back around and faced her. "Go for it."

It was time for her to be bold, grown, and blunt. "I don't want to stop fucking you."

He gulped, and then bowed his head to hide a smirk. Hearing her say that just about choked the wind out his chest. "Okay..."

"And since we are friends again and we enjoy doing this, I say we don't stop." Standing tall, gazing into his eyes, she gave a confident nod. "I think we should not tell anyone because we don't need the questions and commentary about our lives. I think we should be exclusive while we do this, and unless one of us falls in love with someone else, we enjoy this summer for all its worth." There, she said it with no fear and no long battle within on what this meant or why was she doing it or where this could lead. "What do you think?"

Pretending to ponder for a moment by looking away all serious like, Tommy's mouth curved happily as he bent down and kissed her. For him, this was Christmas morning. Despite the possible pitfalls ahead. Alas, sometimes you just had to jump. "Don't start thinking I'm gonna make you breakfast every single morning after I spend the night. This is a one-time deal."

"We keep saying things like that. Funny how its all working out."

"Funny, but spectacular."

She walked into his arms as they hugged tightly. "Spectacular indeed."

**A week later**

**Hawthorne Race Track**

** Friday, June 25, 1997 12:22 PM **

**Eagles Peak, Ca**

"Don't say a word." Slowly unzipping his red and white tracksuit all the way down, Kimberly looked around the small shaded nook they were parked in at the race-track. They were all alone. "Hush. Trust me, Handsome."

Tommy drew in a ragged breath as his head arched back in the driver's seat of his Nissan NASCAR racer. "This is crazy."

Logically, it was, but then again he'd been complaining to her all week long about his racing times being off and his response to the new vehicle he was driving not being that good. So Kim stopping by for a surprise visit on her lunch hour turned into something pleasurable to take his mind off things.

All further concerns were forgotten at the first touch of her soft, wet tongue over the head of his straining cock as she pulled him free through his underwear. He gave a long, satisfying groan as she lazily dragged her tongue up and down his hard shaft, flicking it as his thighs tensed beneath her free hand. The skin was so soft against her oral caress, like silk wrapped around steel as she seductively worshiped him while bent over his lap.

Her teasing nips brushed along his length as she pumped him with her small fist. To say he hadn't dreamed about this at least a million times would be the lie of the century, but the reality was so much better than his old teenage fantasies. The hint of danger at being caught at any time amplified his arousal as the sensual wet swipes of her tongue rolled his eyes in the back of his head. The warmth of her breath fanning over his cock as she nibbled greedily on the head was beyond words for him to describe. Her tongue lashed away a clear drop of pre-cum, and then at last she inhaled him deeply. "Jesus... Kim, oh...fuck..."

Gliding him smoothly between her lips, Kim nursed his cock until her name escaped his throat on the wing tips of a husky groan. Her soft, sucking mouth made love to him with hungry affection, bathing him in warm saliva while hollowing her cheeks as she rose and fell over his lap. He jerked beneath her, his body shivering as she took him inside her warm mouth, drawing firmly around him. Her head began to bob rhythmically as he rested a gentle hand over the back of her head, tangling in her hair.

Sensory overload aside, Tommy's heart raced faster than any car he'd ever driven. The hot feel of her hand twisting around the base while her head moved over him was exquisite. A sharp hiss escaped his lips as her tongue swirled over the head, and then took him back inside her mouth once more, sucking harder now. His neck arched, chest heaving as he was going to cum to soon and though his pride was gonna be hurt, her skill was unmatched.

She was just that damn good!

Slowly lifting off his cock, Kimberly took a glance at her watch, and then groaned, "Dammit!"

Before Tommy could ask what that was about she began to pump him relentlessly while sucking deeply as she could take him. Her head bobbed wickedly over his lap, her mouth fastened over him, working him over her wet tongue until her name became a litany of exclamations flying out of him. The salacious vise of her sucking wrenched him dangerously close to the edge as he began throbbing harder. Her head bobbed faster over his lap as her name flew from his lips until he swelled so hard one last time.

And then her sweet, loving mouth possessively drew from him a intense, frantic release. She settled herself as the liquid eruption splashed over her tongue in wet bursts time after time as she swallowed every drop of him until a long, satisfying sigh, followed by the last little twitches were evidence that he had no more to give. He slumped back in the seat, his chest heaving.

Finally releasing him with a tiny little kiss over the head, Kimberly casually tucked him back inside his underwear, and then zipped his tracksuit back up to his neck. The sight he made was hilarious. Face glistening with sweat, skin a shade of scarlet, eyes shut tightly, drained and man-happy with that dumb little post-orgasm grin that revealed a job well done. Pun intended. "Now listen to me..."

Tommy didn't even have the strength to nod. He watched her retrieve a bottle of water from her purse and a pack of Tic-Tacs.

"I want you to relax in this new car. Get a feel for it around the track at normal speeds before you start gunning it. And listen to your crew before you start damning it to hell. Its a new car, so learn about it and never forget you are a rookie to professional race car driving. You have a lot to learn and success will come in time. I believe in you. Always have, always will."

He found the energy to nod, and kinda, sorta loved her before shoving that feeling away. But feel it he did.

After a couple of water swallows and two Tic-Tacs, Kim smiled. "I would have climbed on that bad-boy and rode you all the way to Happy Town, USA. But I have to get back to work and I'm already going to be late. So get yourself together and get back out on that track. I expect you to do very well in next weeks race." Leaning over, she brushed her mouth over his, lingering for moment. "Call me later on tonight?"

"Absolutely." He pulled her closer for another kiss, and then barely let her go at all. What she did to his heart, no one else before her or since had even come close too. And then he laughed, "Do I say thank you?"

"No, you just return the favor sometime," she winked, and then exited his car, disappearing behind the corner.

He watched her every step of the way. All that he could do was sigh happily and be ever so thankful such a wonderful woman was in his life.

Three Weeks Later

The Home of Billy Cranston Friday, July 15, 1997 11:20 PM Santa Monica, Ca

"He was all over you tonight."

"I'm not yours... and I don't answer to you."

"You're mine this summer, and you know it."

"I'm yours when I choose to be. And tonight you're being a jealous jackass!"

"When you sat on his lap and then stared directly at me, I knew you were playing games. To bad you're no good at it."

"I'm so 'good' at it you can't stand the thought of me with another man."

"You don't care about him or any other guy. You just want me to want you more than anything else in the world."

That's when the rain began to fall desperately as Tommy and Kim fought on Billy's back porch. The party as still going on inside, but out here a fire was starting.

"You're not the center of my universe, Tommy. Never have been, never will be."

"As self-centered as you are, no one could replace you in that position."

"I could think of a position or two I'd like to get Chad in."

"I could think of a hospital or two I could put Chad in."

"You're just pissed because for the first night in weeks I haven't been all over you."

"So you wouldn't give a damn at all if I went in there and took someone home with me tonight?"

Thunder boomed overhead as the heavens opened, pouring down on them until the back-porch light flickered, and then died, drowning them in darkness. They were soaking wet now, raging at each other.

"... do whatever the fuck you want to do."

"What, did I strike a nerve?"

"Look, I'm going back inside before people start tom ask questions. If you want to fight, fight with yourself. Its thunder-storming and I am fucking done talking to you."

Tommy grabbed her wrist, spinning her around until her back braced against the smooth wall. "You have been baiting me all night, stealing glances at me while flirting with Chad. Now you have the nerve to act like you don't even know what I'm talking about? Fuck that and fuck you."

"That's what this is all about, isn't it," Kimberly snarled as rain droplets cascaded down her face. "Fucking, right?"

Her thin, short, and oh so soft pink and white dress now clung to her like a moist second skin as his gaze ravaged over her. Heavy rain drenched them soaking wet in the dark. "Don't play games with me."

Though she loathed to admit it, angry, pissed, possessive Tommy made her wet long before the storm started. She didn't like that side of him... she fucking loved it. "I don't belong to you!"

"The hell you don't!"

Fiery wickedness laced his desperate kiss with hellfire the moment his mouth slammed down on hers, plundering her soft lips as their hands grasped and groped as wet clothing an slick skin. Caution and sanity be damned, they frantically ate each others mouths while shoving jeans and underwear down legs... stepping out of panties... a slender woman being lifted off her face, pressed to the wall, as her legs tightly wrapped around his waist.

As he sank her down onto his hard cock, Kimberly's lips parted softly, her eyes slowly shutting as her head arched back against the wall. His strong hands cupped her ass fully, lifting her high on before lowering her until all of him was buried deeply inside her.

Their gazes locked as rain assaulted them in the darkness of the night. Tommy buried his face in the side of her neck while surging into her, lifting her against the wall in long, deep thrusts that left their ragged, husky breathing echoing in the night. This was angry, make-up fucking in the shadows. Dark, hot, so erotic neither could resist.

Hissing between clenched teeth, Kim felt his back muscles tensing as he filled her with all of him, driving her higher and higher with long, impacting surges. Counter rocking her slim hips into his thrusts, she shivered in his arms, squeezing around him each time her lowered her fully onto his cock. Yes, she wanted him jealous tonight. Wanted to push his buttons and force a reaction from him. Success was all hers as he groaned her name against the crook of her neck time after time, his fingers digging into the cheeks of her ass as he supported her on his hips. "Fuck me," she seductively commanded. "Prove to me that I'm yours."

Tommy knew as he was physically fucking her, she was mentally fucking him so hard cause he swore he would do anything... anything at all to feel this sheer depth of passion for the rest of his life. His mouth sucked hard on her neck, brushing his teeth and tongue over the now scarlet mark he made while swaying her harder on his cock. "So damn good..."

The swelling, tingling sensation where their bodies merged left Kim humming in the back of her throat. Her clothes were soaked, as were his but she didn't care one bit. She began sucking on his ear, silently begging for more. The way he held her so tightly, claiming what was his, fucking her up against this wall like she belonged to him had her softly chanting his name as the rain swept over them. "Tommy... ohTommy..."

Throbbing heavily inside her, the aching desire to fuck her hard overtook him. Squeezing the rounded cheeks of her ass, he began pounding up into her, shaking them both against the wall. Her body flexed in his arms, her hips straining down on him harder and faster. Soon she was thrashing in his arms as the hard, wet slapping sound of flesh roared through his senses.

"Fuck, I'm cuming... ohgod, I'm cuming" Kimberly grunted hard when her climax hit, her face twisting in a mask of orgasmic pleasure so intense she tossed her head back, wet hair pasted on the sides of her face, clenching rhythmically around him until a final surge lifted her high on the wall as she felt him swell and then cum inside her so deeply...

Their foreheads pressed together as rain danced off their faces, they gasped for every breath they took, still connected. Soaking wet from head to toe.

Snickering in the dark, her face dripping wet, Kimberly smiled. "I'm sticky, achy, wet, and uncomfortable in these wet clothes. And I'm not mad for making you jealous."

"Good," Tommy smiled. "And for the record, at least for this summer, you are mine."

"Ditto."

**One week later**

**Hallway outside of Aisha Cambell's apartment**

** 4th floor **

**Saturday, July 23, 1997 8:30 PM **

**Stone Canyon, Ca**

"Missed you all day," Tommy whispered over the soft bow of her lips before smothering them in another long, loving kiss. Her tiny little hum lifted a tender smile on his face. "I think I'm addicted to you," he continued. "You're like a drug that I can't quit."

Making out with him in the hallway outside Aisha's apartment was dangerous enough for them to get caught, but he had this intense sway over her mind, body and dare she admit, heart. Kim shot a glance down the hall in both directions to make sure no one was coming. "Okay, so you do win some style points for saying you missed me," she kissed him once more, half-giggling in the middle of it a she cradled his face. "But this is Ladies Night at Sha's place, and Baseball/Booze night at Jason's down the hall. So we need to get back to our respective nightspots before we get caught and then have to answer a million and one questions about why we're hooking up and never told them to begin with."

Groaning in mock frustration, Tommy buried his face in the side of her neck, suck-kissing her there until she squirmed away.

"No more hickeys," she snickered, politely shoving him back with both hands to his chest. But he just wouldn t go far. She lifted a finger in warning. "I have already used the excuse of having been bitten by bugs twice, so no more marks please."

Bending down, Tommy winked, "But you left some on me."

Her smirk curled evilly. "Not where anyone can see them."

Tommy swopped in again, bathing her luscious mouth in one passionate kiss after another, his arms clasped tightly around her. And after a long, breathless moment she pushed him away again, shaking her head at the craziness of what he made her feel. "Sha's got that spare bedroom, you know. We could..." he whispered such naughtiness in her ear, and loved it when she shivered.

"No, no, no, and no," Kimberly was trying not to blush and throw caution to the wind. But where he was concerned she had little resistance. And the possibility of being caught, of doing something they shouldn t be doing, of the way they've indulged in such a passionate summer affair left her bold enough for almost anything. Her choice made, she looked him square in the eyes. "Go back to Jason's."

"... later." He closed in on her again.

Turning her face sideways, she allowed the closeness of their bodies pressed together to arouse her. And when his arms closed around her waist, she rested her head over his shoulder. Sex, sex, sex, she swore to herself. That's what her time with him this summer was all about. Great, hot, incredible sex. Not love.

Not love, Tommy thought to himself as he held her close, nuzzling the side of her temple, feeling as though this woman was all that he needed in the world. It was easier just enjoying how crazy-hot they were together. Falling in love with her again would be insane because he wasn t sure if he could truly trust her, and love without trust was a train wreck waiting to happen.

Still, he wanted her all the time. And felt this incredible sense of tenderness toward her.

"Maybe... maybe I'll make a kinda long phone call in Sha's spare bedroom after all," Kimberly declared while wearing a truly naughty grin. "But we're going to have to be quiet and no marking my skin and we might not technically get totally naked. Got it?"

Raising his right hand, he placed it over his heart. "Scouts honor."

Kim arched a brow. "You were never a Boyscout."

"Fine, Rangers honor."

"Cute."

"Good, now open the door."

Kimberly cracked it just wide enough to peak inside, listening for voices or footsteps. The girls were all in the kitchen preparing tequila shots for Aisha's once a month Ladies Night. They would have to be ultra sneaky, but hey, they were retired Ninja's after all. Retired, horny ninja's. "Come on."

Grinning, Tommy quietly walked lightly behind Kim, and then a whirlwind of small events happened all at once. Voices suddenly came from around the corner, so Kimberly swung around, wrenched open a coat closet door and then he was quickly shoved inside. He barely had time to blink. What the hell?

"Pinks, everything okay?" Aisha asked while walking back into the living room with a huge silver trey of Tequila shots.

"Yeah, I'm fine." That was a lie, Kim wasn't fine. She was ten shades of horny and frustrated and her handsome ex-honey bunny was now trapped in the closet instead of inside her where he belonged! And as Tanya, Trini, Katherine and Diane re-entered the living room she knew tonight was gonna be damn interesting. Just how was she going to get out of this mess? For the moment she had to act normal. "What's the movie for tonight?"

"Pretty Woman," Katherine replied cheerfully, her shoes off, ready to relax and kick back. No one drove here tonight, with everyone taking a cab home afterward. The intention was to get good and toasty and forget the work week. "You game?"

"Always." Kim took a perch on the back of a maroon loveseat, her back to the closet across the way Tommy was now stuck in. Her mind raced over what to do about this, even going so far as to just tell everyone her and Tommy were... they were... well, they were something, she just wasn't one hundred percent sure what yet.

Thankfully, Tommy didn't have to pee. But he knew girls and they did. Often. So maybe he'd spend thirty minutes or so in here, but it would still be worth it if he got a hold of Kim at his next opportunity. Jason wouldn t even notice as he was all caught up in the game tonight. And... wow, he thought, Aisha's got a really great genuine leather jacket. He touched the arm, marveling at the quality. He nodded, feeling a bit jealous. But he did have the presence of mind to shut off the ringer on his cell phone.

Kim and the girls did their weekly "All Hands" toast as all of them knocked back a Tequila shot as the Julia Roberts movie began. Trini sat beside her, While Tanya occupied one comforter, and Billy's fiancee Diane was on another. Queen Sha had her special sofa that everyone knew she had had sex with Rocky on. No one sat on it and that was that.

It was an understood thing.

"Sometimes I wish Adam's dick wasn't so long," Tanya declared out of the blue to a chorus of raucous laughter as all sense of political correctness was flying out the window. The former Yellow Ranger enjoyed another Tequila shot, giggling at what she just said out loud. But these were her girls and it was the weekend. No need to be shy. "I love him to death and all, but sometimes... I mean I always knew he had a nice body, but he's... its..."

"Like riding a light-pole," Aisha chimed in with a snicker. "Before I came back to the States I dated this South African guy named Bradford. He was just too much man and it wasn't comfortable at all when we did the do. Now Rocky is definitely a mans man, but not that Mandingo warrior dick I had overseas." She shuddered at the memory. "I didn't walk right for a week. No thank you to that ever again."

Tommy shivered in the closet, having truly never wanted to hear any of these things before. So girls did talk about sex in frank and blunt ways when they were alone. And Adam being a real size guy... didn't see that one coming. And what in the hell was Mandingo Warrior dick?

Kim was dying laughing on the inside at what her poor, dear sweet Tommy must be thinking as he hid in the closet. Oh did she dare mess with him more? Yes... yes she had too. "So who's the biggest you sluts, I mean ladies, have ever had?"

Roaring chuckles around the room as Pretty Woman played on the television.

"Well," Trini began before downing another shot, enjoying the burn as it went down, "Considering my Cock-Count currently rests at three, I would say my ex-boyfriend from when I was in the Peace Conference, Joshua," she explained. "He wasn't so long, but thick as a wrist and when I first saw it I took a step backwards," she recalled as the girls howled with laughter. "Trust me, it was a comical moment." And then she added, "But a goooood night."

"Ohhhh, I bet it was," Diana teased. The pretty brunette Med-student was at least two years older than the other girls here. "Well size-wise all of my former lovers, that total's three as well, were pretty similar and I guess average. But Billy's stamina is just incredible," she reported s the girls listened eagerly. "I joke with him that he must have a Gatorade IV on the side of the bed. He can go all night and then some. In fact, that's why I'm marrying him."

"You bitch," Kim offered affectionately. "Okay, so I'll admit... Jason was huge." Trini nearly coughed up her entire drink next to her, eyes wide as all gazes raced toward the first former Pink Ranger. Tanya stared in mute shock. "What?"

"WHAT?" Tommy's mind raged as he stood in the dark, listening intently.

Aisha stared open mouthed. "You didn't... did you?"

Kim allowed a heart-beat or two to pass before assuring them, "No, I was just teasing. I could never have sex with Jason. He's to much like my brother."

"Like your real brother or a brother like Tommy?" Katherine teased, grinning.

Kim peered away, her Poker face clearly in place. "No comment."

The room erupted again as shots were downed. And then Katherine took center stage when she blurted out...

"I boned Zack. And it was pretty damn epic."

You could have heard a pin drop as silence reigned. All eyes flew to the slender blonde as she downed a shot, and then settled back, arms behind her neck. "And I'm not joking."

Tanya threw a pillow at her best friend. "You never said a word! You slut," she joked while laughing. "Tell us everything. Confess!"

Tommy wasn't shocked, Zack confided that in him nearly three weeks ago.

"Well, I needed a ride home from the airport that one Sunday a couple of weeks ago when I was coming back from seeing my parents in Australia, and he was available and willing."

"I bet he was," Trini chimed in with a snicker.

Katherine offered her the middle finger, and then continued, Anyway, I was on a late flight arriving back at L.A.X. around 10:00 PM and after he picked me up he asked if I had anything to eat. I was starving cause airplane food makes me sick, so we stopped at a nearby Denny's and talked over pancakes and... look, we're friends and we're not dating. We're both single and you all know he's hot, plus the way he dances... So when he dropped me off I offered him coffee and then..."

"You fell on his dick?" Aisha questioned while pouring more Tequila as chuckles filtered about.

"No... maybe," Kat replied while blushing a little. "It just sort of happened out of the blue. Three times out of the blue," roaring laughter around, "But still, we're friends and it was just a thing. But he's..." she shook his head. "His dick is magic. And I thought Tommy was fantastic, but wow."

Enjoying this far to much, Trini just had to ask, "So who was better?"

Kim could only imagine the hell Tommy was now in hearing this conversation. Her head was buzzing delightfully from the alcohol and still being aroused. "Fess up, Kat. The world wants to know."

Crossing her long dancer's legs, Katherine gave a far off smile while seemingly giving great thought to the question. "It's more a styles preference sort of thing than who was better. Both were great, but Tommy is a very intense lover. Zack's wild and passionate and all kinds of awesome. So no, not gonna choose. Both are great."

Tommy still thought he was better, but he'd accept that for now. It was a good thing he and Kat were on such good terms or he'd almost be insulted.

"But yeah, Zack is bigger than Tommy."

He suddenly hated her fucking guts, the bitch! Then Tommy shook his head and laughed at the insanity of being stuck in a dark closet with a very expensive, kick ass leather jacket. And he still adored Katherine despite her dig. So Zack was bigger... Hmm... Interesting.

Talk continued until Kim spared a glance at her wrist watch and noticed over fifteen minutes had passed. It was time to push Tommy's buttons some more. "You guys see the commercials for those new Maxi-Pads with the wings? What do you think of those?"

As the girls chimed in Tommy frantically began dialing Kim's cell phone number. He had to get out of this damn closet now! No way in hell was he gonna entertain hearing a talk about Maxi-Pads. He quietly whispered, "Kim?" after two rings.

Outside on the couch, Kim answered her cell, "Hey Mom, what's up?"

"Do something to get me out of this freaking closet or I am going to cause a scene and out us right now! And so help me God if you starting talking about women's periods or anything to do with that stuff I will..."

"I'm fine, mom. I'm at Aisha's apartment having a Ladies Night. Don't worry, I'll take care of everything."

"Good, cause just as soon a I am out of here and get you in the nearest bed, I'm going to..."

Kim sensuously nibbled her bottom lip, her right foot tapping the hard-wood floor as she felt her skin grow hot and flushed. Tommy graphically detailed everything he intended to do to her and how hard she would cum when he did it. Her heart raced, while she tried to appear as casual as possible. "That sounds nice. I'm looking forward to it." Dammit, her voice sounded high and flighty. Her heart was racing. "I'll talk to you soon. Bye Mom."

"... with my tongue," Tommy finished just before she hung up. Oh yeah, now she was all hot and bothered. He knew what buttons to push.

Kimberly's mind glossed over a number of super-sneak plans and clever schemes until finally she got a idea. It wasn't the worlds best, but it would do. "Where does that hottie next door live that you're dying to fix me up with, Sha? Come show me his apartment. I want to see where Mr. Six Pack and Great Smile lives."

"Come on, girl. I'll show you out the kitchen window. His apartment building is facing the other way. If he's home tonight I could arrange drinks, you know," Aisha finished with a wink as she rose from her seat.

"Come on ladies, give me some inspiration," Kim cheered as the gang followed Aisha into the kitchen, giving Tommy time to exit the closet. Out the corner of her eye as she tagged along behind, the former Pink Ranger saw her ex-boyfriend do just that, slipping into Sha's guest bedroom.

**Five minutes later.**

"...gonna call my dad, may take a few minutes. I'll be in your guest room, Sha."

"That's cool. Tell your Dad I said hi. We'll have more Tequila for you when you return."

Kimberly entered the dark guestroom, shut the door, locked it, and then a strong pair of arms lifted her clear off her feet as she began giggling wildly. She was thrown onto the bed and actually bounced off the mattress. Her eyes scanned the towering man coming after her with lust in his eyes. "Someone's eager."

"Took you long enough," Tommy snarled as he urgently covered her body, pressing her into the bed, dying to kiss that daring smirk she wore. "And that quip about Jason, not cool."

The solid weight of him felt as possessive as it did protective. Her legs parted around him. "We don't have long, so make it count. Now shut up and kiss me. "

"Done." Tommy bent down as Kimberly lifted her mouth to his, merging softly... wetly, passionately gliding back and forth. Her tongue deftly entered his mouth, and he seized upon it, sucking as they kissed. His hand slipped behind her head, lovingly cupping the back of it as his hips began rocking into her, grinding against her center. She lips trembled over his, and as thoroughly as he wanted to take her right here and now, he knew they couldn t go all the way with the girls inn the next room. But he'd be damned if he didn't leave her with a powerful memory of him for the rest of the night!

Having gone bra-less this evening, when he shoved her shirt up the warmth of his breath saw her nipples peak erectly a fraction of a second before he bathed one with a long lash of his tongue. Her body shivered as her eyes shut, loving the way he trapped the tight nub against the roof of his mouth, batting it back and forth with his tongue before suckling her so firmly her clit swelled in jealousy. He made love to her breasts, taking his own dear sweet time, kissing across her modest cleavage before drowning the other peak in long wet licks until she squirmed beneath him. The way his cheeks hollowed as he suckled the tip, kneading it just the way she liked with his whole hand had her humming in the back of her throat. At this point she was at his utter mercy, and he could do with her whatever he wanted. Her sex pulsed in anticipation. "You are so good at that."

"I aim to please," he affectionately kissed down over her belly, softly dipping his tongue in he naval before pressing little pecks down to her waist. He quickly unbuttoned her skirt, and then tugged it down her slender hips. Next were her black panties. The aroused scent of her made him groan hungrily, as the soft, pink flesh drew him ever closer. "I can't believe how much I want you all the time."

"The feeling is oh so mutual... ahhh..." As her thighs tensed around his head, Kimberly grabbed and bit hard into a nearby pillow when his warm mouth closed around her sex, suckling and nibbling her as his head rocked between her thighs. He was so fucking good at this, swirling his tongue over her clit until she was so damn wet... Her voice was tiny, light, and breathless as long, lazy licks sent her back arching. His hands spanned her hips, grasping onto her as he hungrily feasted upon her. And when her hand rested over the back of his head, her other fisted a handful of white bedsheets as pleasure cascaded over her.

"Tastes so good, baby," Tommy moaned while sucking on her mound like a juicy piece of fruit. She writhed and bucked as he held her down, his tongue drinking in the exotic flavor of her, loving the way she moaned and shivered. The faint blush tinging her cheeks, the hypnotic rise and fall off her chest, and the regal column of her throat swallowing so hard drew his attention. Her enthusiastic responses left his cock aching in envy, but this was all for her. He wanted her flying, so overcome by pleasure she could think of nothing but him for the rest of the night. He devoured her with shameless hunger, his lower mouth glistening with her wetness as he thrust his tongue inside her, and then lifted his hands to firmly cup her breasts.

Her breathing came faster when he captured the sensitive little peak at the apex of her sex, lashing his tongue over it time after time until her teeth bit into the very fabric of the pillow her head rested on. Her hips quivered, her breasts swelled, and the warm tingling sensation growing in her belly relentlessly blazed toward the edge of oblivion. He was going down on her like it was about to be outlawed and this was his last night on Earth. Peering at her lover, the wild, rakish spark in his eyes met her head on, and then he pushed two fingers inside her, fucking her hard.

"Fuck...ohfuck!" Her inner muscles sucked at his thrusting fingers as husky moans escaped her throat until at last when his mouth closed around her clit as he drew firmly on it, she came that very second, squeezing hard around his fingers as roaring waves of pleasure soared through her body. Her face pressed hard into the pillow, muffling her loud moans, her fist beating at the mattress. Her entire body quaked, her pulse ticking between her legs until the last final spams rolled over her, and she was still.

"All for you, baby." Tommy softly kissed her nether lips, slowly withdrawing slick fingers from inside her. Fingers he sampled the taste of in his mouth while watching her watch him. "I want you to enjoy the rest of your movie night, enjoy the Tequila and the girls and don't think about how crazy your week was or any other stress in your life. Just enjoy yourself and know that I'm down the hall thinking of you. And wanting you more than anything in the world.

Sighing, happily, Kim had to ask, "But what about..."

Tommy shook his head, and then reached off the bed for her panties and skirt. "Don't worry about me. I loved doing this for you. I don't have a regret in the world. I'm fine, trust me."

Kimberly dressed quickly, dying for a mirror to see what state her hair was in, all while shoving the pillow she bit into in a closet as Tommy snickered nearby, "You're good, but not that, good," she whispered. And then took a peak at her watch and swore. She'd been gone twenty minutes. "Okay, listen, I'm going to give you a quick diversion and go flirt with new guy Aisha keeps telling me about. Then you can sneak out of her and the apartment."

Tommy blinked, his arms crossing his chest. "I'm not sure I like this plan."

Kim's smile turned so bright at just a little hint of his jealousy. "Oh shush, I don't want him at all, but it'll get the girls all in the kitchen while you slip out," she explained. "You know I only want you."

Why hearing that felt like Christmas morning, he wasn't ready to analyze just yet. "Do it... but don t flirt to much, okay?"

"We'll see."

"That's not fair."

"Life's not fair," Kim teased, and then pointed to his raging hard on. "Sorry about that. But I promise to make it up to you real soon."

He watched her exit the bedroom while shaking his head. She was driving him crazy and he loved every second of it.

Two weeks Later

**The home of Jacob and Marissa Oliver **

**Sunday, August 7, 1997 7:30 PM **

**Angel Grove, Ca**

The dear faces were all the same, albeit a bit older... perhaps wiser, but no less full of joy and laughter. No less memorable as their smiles and the sounds of their voices became a part of her again.

The modest-sized dining room was a warm Earthy brown now instead of the egg-shell white decor she remembered the first time she'd eaten here when she was so nervous her fork accidentally went flying out of her hand across the table, almost stabbing Mr. Oliver in the chest.

For 'that' Kimberly Hart, it wasn't the great first impression she wanted to make to her hopefully future father-in-law. But he took it all in stride, even marveling at her aim. Joked that she should take up using a bow and arrow as a hobby. If he only knew about her 'after school job' and her Power Bow.

Once upon a time...

Marissa's spaghetti and meatballs dinner tasted every bit as delicious as it looked, with the wonderful scent of her Sunday night feast dancing in the air. Kimberly bowed her head as Tommy's father said the Grace, all the while marveling that she was even here again, in this house where she had so many memories of her and Tommy's former relationship. A piece of her heart still lived here, and it felt as if she'd found it once again.

And the feeling was beautiful. Comfortable.

So much like home.

The mahogany wood-grain and glass-top dining room table and high-back chairs were the same, as was the antique China dinner was served on. There was a new oil painting on the wall of a gorgeous empty beach that Mrs. Oliver painted in her spare time. There was a new rug on the hardwood floor, and the same grandfather clock in the corner that still didn't keep the correct time, left that way in honor of Tommy's grandfather who never fixed it.

So many little quirks that made up the people she loved.

Kim fondly recalled the once a month Oliver Sunday night dinners where Tommy's friends were all invited. There was much laughter and teasing and story-telling as the whole gang would gather here, and never once did Marissa or Jacob complain. Never once did she not feel special here, often given special privileges because she was Tommy's girlfriend. They genuinely adored her, and for the longest time since the break-up she didn't have the courage to face them. She had broken their son's heart. Surely they would hate her.

But its been said that time heals all wounds, and that life goes on. So when she ran into Marissa Oliver at her bank a few days ago she wasn't met with scorn or a scowl, but a huge hug. Tears wet her eyes as she began quickly babbling about what happened and why and...

"Dear, life happened. High school relationships come and go. And while I wished things didn't end the way that they did, we never, ever hated you. Your life is your own and you don't owe it to anyone. I have loved you from the moment Tommy first introduced you to us and that hasn't changed. You're a good person, Kimberly Hart."

Those were the dear words that brought more tears, though of the healing kind to her brown eyes. That little parking lot talk turned into a impromptu lunch, and then a invitation to tonight's dinner.

Feeling so relaxed, Kimberly's smile widened as Zack told a very animated tale about a run in he had with a skunk while on a camping trip with his little brother. No one could tell a story like Zack, with his sheer exuberance adding to the tale of how fast he ran from the animal and his thoughts on what the animal was probably thinking at the time. And when he embellished having to wrestle a Grizzly bear and wolf at the same time the Oliver's howled as they were laughing so hard, While Jason shook his head, holding his side. Trini was cracking up too, and Tommy... he was watching her as she watched him.

Closely.

Intimately.

Searching for that elusive answer to a question both have only recently admitted needed to be answered at all.

Dinner had just began as the room filled with the sense of family and good friends gathering together to enjoy each others company. Kimberly was certain she'd never be welcomed in this house again, and now as a guest its as if she still belonged here.

As if she still belonged with...

"So how was your day today, Kim?" Marissa asked while pouring everyone a glass of wine.

Fighting hard not to dart a gaze at Tommy, Kim couldn t tell the truth that she spent the day at her son s apartment making love, playing video games, and making love. A lost, lazy, incredible day that still left her body humming. And even after a long bubble bath she swore his scent still clung to her skin. Calmly, she sampled the wine before replying, "Pretty boring, really. Got caught up on some laundry and cleaned my apartment. Typical Sunday morning fair."

"I remember when I had my first apartment," Jacob noted while digging into his meal, his husky deep voice booming as usual. "It was never clean. The only thing I could say good about it was that I didn't have rodents running around."

"And it was the size of a shoebox," Marissa chimed in with glee.

Tommy watched his parents go back and forth over the state of his Dad's first apartment and her shocking account of just how bad it was before she helped him get a handle on making it presentable. Cheesy as it sounded even to him, he liked how his parents bantered and seemed so genuinely at ease and still in love with each other. He couldn t help but to hope that one day when he was married he'd choose so wisely that years and years later they would still be each others best friend.

Of course he thought of Kimberly.

He couldn t quite say where she fit into his current life, but somehow she'd curled around it from all sides and he didn't want that to change. Ever since that first night she's dominated his waking thoughts and nightfall dreams. But this morning when he woke to her gentle snoring, something tender swept over him. She felt wonderful sleeping naked beside him, snuggled warmly against his side, wearing the most peaceful expression. Admittedly, he didn't have a game plan when all of this started. He followed their natural instinct to be together, only now infused by raw, intense passion.

His truth was hard to admit, but she was slowly reclaiming his heart and he wasn't sure how he felt about that. A summer affair was one thing, but loving her again... was potentially devastating. Even after she broke his heart she still held a part of his soul throughout the hate he felt. It just didn't make any sense to him, and yet it remained even as he healed and moved on. There was a draw he felt to her even if she no longer felt it.

But apparently she did, complicating matters further. What if they both wanted the same thing?

"... so Kim was covered from head to toe in mud," Jason chuckled while offering his tale of yesteryear, specifically the Pink Ranger's childhood. "She was so little at the time, but she ran over to that boy's big wheel, picked it up over her head like the Incredible Hulk, and threw it at the boy who had knocked her down." The table was dying laughing. Kim ducked her head in embarrassment, the hint of a smile playing at the corner of her mouth. "I swear Zack and I couldn't do anything but stare. Trini looked scared and screamed 'Somebody call 911'. Billy just ran home and didn't look back. That was the first time we witnessed the wrath of Kim."

"His name was David and he was a bully. He pushed me down and I was wearing my new overalls that day," Kim playfully defended herself. "My Flintstones vitamins, adrenalin and the steroids my mom spiked my apple juice box with aided me in defending myself."

"I swear we talked about that day for two weeks straight," Trini added with her wine glass in hand. "David didn't push down one more kid ever again. And I actually dated him in the fifth grade. We had something so special... for an entire afternoon. And then we broke up."

Mocking her, Tommy covered a hand over his chest and then wiped a pretend tear away. "So heartbreaking."-

"And yet in fourth grade you dated that girl that beat you up at lunch," Jacob just had to tease his son about as the table listened closely. "You wanted to learn Karate because Becky Slater stole your lunch money and then broke up with you."

Sighing, Tommy shut his eyes as laughter rained down upon him. "I could have gone the rest of my life without reliving that moment."

"Bro, you told us you started learning Karate because you saw a Bruce Lee movie," Jason said. "But apparently your butt-kicking by a fifth grade girl sent you on your way." Leaning back in his chair, smirk firmly in place, he declared, "Priceless."

"And she took your lunch money," Kim giggled hysterically. "You sucked."

"Tommy," Zack laughed, smacking his shoulder while grinning wildly. "That's just bad on every level. You got beat up, dumped, and she stole your lunch money. Did you cry?"

"Laugh it up," Tommy encouraged his dinner guests as they did just that. His quickly expression went from mild agitation to amusement. "I'll have you know she was tall for her age and had a heck of a right cross."

"Is that when you started watching the Bruce Lee movies?" Trini teased him. "And did you pay attention?"

"Trini, dear. He got in so much trouble one day when he broke one of my old wooden broomsticks in half, nailed a chain between the two pieces to make one of those martial arts... what do you call them?"

"Nunchucks," Jason answered, chuckling.

"Tommy made the nunchucks and was practicing martial arts on his bed, but somehow when he was swinging it he hit himself in the head and had a golf ball sized knot on his forehead. He learned a valuable lesson that day."

Certainly his parents enjoyed toying with him in front of his kids, but he couldn't get over how beautiful Kimberly looked tonight. Or how he wished he was seated beside her where he could rest his arm around her waist. Thoughts like that were so dangerous, but they were there nonetheless. The more he rationalized why he needed to pull away from her before it was to late, the louder the voice shouted in his head that it already was.

Marissa Oliver pretended to pay attention as the men began talking sports while the girls chatted over friends gossip. She, being a self-proclaimed Mom-Detective could clearly see something was going on with her son and Kimberly. And that faint mark on Kim's neck looked suspiciously like a hickey to her, and she was sure her son noticed it... and didn't seem to mind one bit. Plus they were exchanging these little looks all night long and dare she hope that meant something? The last thing she wanted was for Tommy to get hurt again, but maybe age and life experience tempered them both to a new place where things might work this time. Of course she knew she was a hopeless romantic, but what mother didn't want her son to be happy.

Kimberly got to him, and it was so evident. Yes, she hurt him deeply. But they seemed past it, and so comfortable with each other again. She was sure an attraction still lived between them. But as much as she wanted to intervene and give hope a little push, she decided it was best to let them find their own way.

At least for now.

"...yeah. Yeah, man. You and Rocky meet me there around 7:30 PM Tuesday night and we'll put together a class schedule and routine," Tommy spoke into his cell phone. "Thanks for the heads up, bro. Making a little extra cash teaching ladies self-defense is perfectly fine with me. Later Adam... Yeah, I'll tell them you said hi." Closing his cell, the former leader of the Power Rangers stretched his arms out over his head and yawned peacefully.

Tonight's dinner gathering was hilarious and so much fun, having ended about thirty minutes ago. He sat at the end of the bed in his old room, simply enjoying the quiet while reminiscing. A evening with family and friends was priceless, and though Adam, Tanya, Rocky, Aisha, and Billy couldn t make it tonight, it was still a special occasion.

Kimberly presence alone saw to that.

His eyes shut for a moment as the incredibly erotic day he spent with her came back to him. Making love before cooking breakfast together... playing video games before falling to the floor to make love all over again. His cock thickened just thinking about it even now. His skin felt hot... They were all alone from sun up until they arrived here, in separate cars of course.

She was down stairs right now, and yet he missed her. He shook his head to try and ward off the feeling to no avail.

Despite having his own place now, Tommy's old bedroom still had his Martial Arts movie posters on the wall, and that same lop-sided bookshelf in the corner with stacks of Karate magazines piled on top. But as some things remained the same, others were changing. At the end of this summer Billy, Katherine, and possibly Tanya would be leaving California to pursue their dreams in other States. And though he knew he wouldn t lose any of them, he'd miss them terribly. They were family and family stuck together no matter what. Everyone was growing up and branching out. Natural, but terrifying at the same time.

So much was changing, and in ways he still hadn't quite wrapped his mind around yet. His heart wanted something he swore was dead and gone. And yet with every new kiss he craved Kimberly in his world. She now had a toothbrush at his apartment, and even some clothes. He had the same at her place, and had even let her drive his truck.

"Crazy," he shook his head.

"Am not," Kimberly cutely declared in the doorway, peeking in. "I was helping your mom with the dishes. Want some company?"

Tommy smiled, "Yeah, but leave the door open."

She giggled, recalling how that was the absolute rule at both their parents houses back when they were dating. "Sorry, we're grown now." She came in, shut the door behind her, and then sat down beside him at the end of the bed. "Tonight was fun."

He'd kissed every square inch of her body earlier today, and yet he wanted her all over again. Tapping down that desire was fast becoming a problem. "Its was, thanks for coming."

She fired him a naughty look, invoking a silent double entandre. "Nah, to easy."

Tommy rolled his eyes as she leaned into him, and his arm instinctively curled around her, drawing her closer. "My parents really enjoyed having you here."

"I missed them too, you know," she explained while fighting the urge to rest her head on his shoulder. "I used to think they'd never speak to me again if they saw me. Like if I ran into them at the mall they might walk right on by without saying a word. I was so afraid of something like that happening."

"Like my Dad told me after I told him about your letter, life happens. We dated in high school and you broke up with me. As badly as it hurt me, it happens every single day to thousands of people. We're no different than anyone else. And like you've told me, I don't regret the life I've made for myself and the one I'm working on. I'm stronger now for having gone threw it, and so are you. Plus, we've made our peace and have our closure. Its a brand new day."

"A fresh start," she uttered before she could stop herself. His tender gaze captured her, and then he bent down and kissed her soundly on the lips. Her hand came to rest over his chest, clutching at his shirt as they kissed softly, swaying in a perfect rhythm until they finally broke, both smiling wildly.

"Can I confess something so politically incorrect you might want to slap me?"

Kim blinked, and then gave a little nod.

Tommy mouth hovered just over the soft shell of her ear, and then he whispered, "I have always wanted to fuck you in this bed."

Playfully, she slapped his face, but not hard. And she was laughing. "Oh really? Just how bad?"

"I was rubbing one out almost every single night." Her tiny gasp was followed by her hand covering her mouth from laughing loudly. "I remember one time your Dad said I had such a firm handshake, and I couldn t tell him its cause I have to jack off so often due to your daughter never giving me any."

"You hadn t earned it, buddy," she warned him, smirking. "Don't blame me for having to have late night dates with the Palm Sisters. If you'd wrote me some love notes or took me dancing more often, who knows."

"We were both to nervous to do it," he recalled honestly. "Not that I didn't want to, but..."

"I wanted to make love to you, trust me on that," she replied. "I was just so self-conscious about my body and scared of getting pregnant and scared we were going to get caught. See, outside of kissing you were my first everything."

"Except lover."

She paused, gazing into his eyes. "Not my first, but my absolute best."

He couldn t help the blinding smile that came over him. "You're pretty good too."

"Just pretty good?"

"Well..." glancing over his shoulder at the bed, Tommy kinda nodded in its direction. "You want to improve that assessment?"

"There is no way we are doing it with your parents downstairs? No way. Not gonna happen." Although she enjoyed a few moments of his deep, wet French Kissing on her neck, she calmly pushed him away. "Sorry, buddy. Not gonna happen."

Groaning with mock frustration, Tommy pressed his lips to her temple. "Not even a BJ?"

Poking him hard in the side, she rolled her eyes. "You are so romantic."

"Hand-job?"

"I'm going home now."

"Can I just nibble something on you?"

Kimberly giggled at his teasing. "We spent an amazing ay together, and dinner was fantastic. But I have work in the morning, so I'm going home...alone. Goodnight, Handsome." She brushed a loving kiss over his mouth, and then stood up, walking toward the door.

"Kim?"

"Yeah?"

"I might still have the Palm Sisters phone number, you know."

Standing in the doorway, she smirked, "Tell'em I said hi."

She blew him a goodbye kiss and then left. His hearing followed her downstairs, and the faint sounds of his parents thanking her for coming and wishing her a goodnight. the front door shut, and she was gone.

"Dammit," he swore under his breath. He was falling in love with her again, and was powerless to stop it.

**The End**

**Chapter 4: Mrs. Hart's costume ball gala provides thrills, jealousy, and those three little words...**


	4. Chapter 4

**Title: "The Long, Hot Summer"**  
><strong>Written by: Shawn <strong>

**Chapter (4/5)**

**Summary: Mrs. Hart's costume ball gala provides thrills, jealousy, and those three little words...**

**Category: Erotica/Romance/Angst **

**Rating: Hard NC-17 **

**Timeline/Spoilers: Summer of 1997 following the Power Rangers Turbo season - Rangers have passed the Torch - Zack, Trini, and Jason have returned from the Peace Conference. Billy is healed and fine.**

**Disclaimer: Saban owns it all again.**

**Authors Notes 1: Slightly AU time-line wise as Rangers are all 20 or so here - Tommy/Kim never had their talk after the events of the Turbo movie as she went right back to Florida. This story will span the entire summer of 1997.**

**Authors Notes 2: Love, regret, passion, anger, and growing up are all issues explored here.**

**Authors Notes 3: This series will be a series of 1 scene chapters and I will only post this when all five are done. Then I will post each one day after the other.**

**Jealousy is that pain which a man feels from the apprehension that he is not equally beloved by the person whom he entirely loves. ~ Joseph Addison**

**It hurts to love someone and not be loved in return, but what is the most painful is to love someone and never find the courage to let the person know how you feel. ~ Unknown**

**The L.A. Metropolitan Theater **

**Saturday, August 13, 1997 7:30 PM **

**Los Angeles, Ca**

The sheer extravagance of it all was sinfully sexy, ghoulish, and glamorous all at the same time.

Although far from Tommy's typical element as the partying crowd was as loud as he'd ever heard before, tonight held endless pleasurable possibilities when he thought of a certain ex-Pink Ranger honey of his. He most certainly had plans for her and they would not end at this party, but in his bed if he had anything to say about it. So for once he'd brave the boisterous masses as only one among them held his complete attention.

Caroline Hart's new boss was a major player in California's rapidly-changing political arena. Word was he had hopes of running for Governor someday. Tonight though, his charitable foundation was throwing a gigantic costume ball for West Coast homeless shelters, and though Tommy wouldn't normally be able to afford anything close to the ticket prices needed to attend, Kim gave him and a few of the gang free passes to attend.

A night of drinking and partying with celebrities and all that surrounded them didn't appeal to him in the least. It was a element he wasn't all that comfortable with, and the paparazzi were clearly on the hunt. But a night of drinking and partying with Kim... well, that held a special allure he was unable to resist.

Pushing through the humongous sea of people clad in every conceivable form of dress and undress as it were, he could only shake his head at the glitzy atmosphere of the costume ball. After enjoying an array of complimentary whistles from a small group of Harem girls, Tommy walked into the sprawling main ballroom amidst hundreds of party goers, mood lighting, and music so loud he almost covered his ears with his hands as the Charity Costume Ball roared into full swing.

"Far to many damn people," the former White Ranger grumbled under his breath as he made his way through scores of costumed dancers. The vast marble floor was invisible due to the smoke being pumped from vents all along the walls. A glowing center-piece DJ booth and bars with scantily clad male and female bartenders on both sides of the grand hall kept the vibe electric. Spiraling mood lighting cascaded over the huge dance floor as he searched for Kimberly or any of his friends.

When a gorgeous dark-haired girl on skates rolled by taking orders, Tommy motioned for a drink. A couple of minutes later a Long Island Ice tea arrived, and he enjoyed the burn of alcohol as he continued on in search of his prey. He grew impatient as he recalled that night he braved a dangerous blizzard to insure Kimberly made it home safe was incredibly erotic, but the coffee she offered him when they arrived at her place, and the way a long talk saw them fall asleep against each other was far more meaningful than even the Earth-scorching sex they enjoyed again even later on that same night. He awoke the next morning curled around her and could only marvel at the hypnotic rise and fall of her chest as his own swelled with...

Tommy was falling in love with her again.

That much was obvious and lying to himself simply wasn't working anymore. From that cold night on, and for weeks afterward they gave up the pretense of fighting this incredibly intense heat between them. Instead, they indulged. Immersed themselves. Dove in head first and drowned in it and each other. But could you possibly love a woman you did not trust? Could he honestly forgive her and see if she wanted to try again? Did he truly see love reflected in her pretty brown eyes, or was he secretly hoping to see it, or even worse saw what he wanted to see?

There were far to many questions and real life issues of work and responsibilities hadn't yielded any answers. He never expected to feel this for her again, or to imagine she felt anything for him at all. She'd broken his heart completely, and yet she apologized and explained. It didn't erase the hurt, but it helped bring about a closure to all his unanswered questions. She'd done her sincere best to make things right, and now he had nothing else to hold against her. Hating her for the rest of his life seemed juvenile, and he thought he was a better man than that.

Life happened, as he remembered his dad told him once when they talked about that first heartbreak a person goes through. No one got out of life without at least one broken heart and a lost dream of what might of been. But the measure of your character was the way you treated people despite how they treated you and how you got back on your feet afterward. There was a lesson here he felt they both learned, albeit painfully.

But if he'd seen aliens, time traveled, teleported, piloted gigantic robots, flew through space and visited other worlds before he was even the legal age to drink alcohol then why couldn t he imagine finding love with Kimberly again? Honestly... terrifying as it felt, he most certainly could.

Two five-team news crews and a host of celebrity photographers maneuvered through the party, soliciting interviews, taping pieces for the nightly news, and showing off the sheer luxury afforded the rich and famous. Despite some of the actors, actresses, singers, and even famous athletes he recognized, Tommy wasn't very impressed. But anything done to raise money and awareness for the devastating homeless plight in California was a good thing in his eyes. And on a personal note he planned to spend the entire night with Kim and gauge if she felt the same way he did. If maybe she could see them as they are now, and not as they were.

Tommy intended to allow things to happen naturally. And he intended for them to end the evening in his bed, and maybe all day Saturday if he had anything to say about it. Already he could feel himself hardening at the thought of taking her again. Thankfully his black trousers hid a multitude of naughty thoughts.

Renting a new pirate outfit wasn't something Tommy ever envisioned doing again, but he recalled Kim thinking he looked so sexy in one back in high school. This one was far more authentic than the last, complete with a authentic Pirate hat, dingy brown jacket, white shirt and vest, sash belt, buckles, a real leather eye patch, sword, boots, and bone necklace. While his former flame wouldn't tell him what she was going to wear, she did say it wouldn't be pink, but he would love it like crazy.

"Where the hell are you?" Tommy half-growled after downing another drink. He set it on the marble counter, and then felt a slender arm curl around his forearm. Finally, he thought to himself. Before turning around, he smirked immediately. "Took you long enough."

"My, my, my, what a flirt," Trini teased softly in his ear, then enjoyed the appreciative gaze he swept over her. Had Tommy ever looked at her like that before? Surprise blushed her cheeks. Nonetheless, she her plan took precedence. "Tommy, I'm here to grant you your fondest wish."

Tommy did a double-take as the normally reserved Trini Kwan did a seductive little twirl in a absolutely decadent red and gold Genie outfit that exposed her toned bare belly, smooth legs, and lower back. The sexy costume clung to her like a second skin, and revealed far more skin than he had ever seen her show off before. And while he would never admit this to her, she looked fucking dynamite tonight. "Who are you and what have you done to Trini Kwan?"

"Trini Kwan is in search of Brad Pitt, but that is a story for another day." Guiding him across the massive dance floor as a slow jam played, she slipped her arms around his waist, drawing him closer. He took the hint, slow dancing with her now. She looked him in the eyes, grinning. "Tonight I am a genie who will grant you only one wish," she smiled his way, not at all hiding that she found his attire attractive as well. "But first you have to promise me something?"

"No one ever says no to you."

He was smiling which was good, but once they rounded one of the broad pillars ahead she knew that would end. "You can't go kicking or punching anyone, understood?"

"I'm not violent and you know it," he laughed as she spun them one time away from where they were dancing. "You could at least let me lead. I am the guy, after all," he snickered.

Trini offered not a word as she felt him tense when he saw Kimberly, or more to the point, the guy dancing slowly with her dressed as Han Solo to her incredibly sexy Princess Leia slave outfit. "Can I explain before you explode or should I call 911 right now?"

"I'm not going to explode," he noted in a calmly detached voice despite wondering why in hell Kim was dancing so close to this stranger, moving in tandem with him, and why did they wear a matching costume set? And why were people taking pictures of them? He suddenly felt his hands curl into fists as darkness clouded over him.

Trini felt it too, gently dragging his attention back to her with the tip of her finger on his chin. "First off, our resident Pink Princess got roped into a last second blind date that she didn't want. Its a long story that she will explain to you." Tommy grumbled something about breaking someones legs. "Second, I totally know about you two hooking up all summer." Enjoying his mildly shocked expression, she pressed into him as they swayed to the music. "I am all knowing, my dear. Kim didn't tell me and didn't have too. I saw the signs." And then she snickered, "And I totally heard you two boinking your brains out at Billy's house the day our team bar-b-Que got rained out."

"Yeah..." Tommy kept his eyes trained on the guy who couldn't stop brushing his hand over Kim's bare lower back. As badly as he wanted to rip him limb from limb, her costume finally began to sink in. The Slave Princess Leia outfit worn in Return of the Jedi was for most men the absolute ultimate in pure sexual flair. She wore her hair in a long braid down her back, along with that sexy-as-sin choker around her neck, along with a slave-gold chain that hung all the way down to her slender hips. The dark and gold-plated bra top was a perfect compliment to the long, maroon plated skirt that completed the barely their ensemble. Her Fuck-Me heels just about killed him... He swore under his breath, dying to know if she'd worn this for him. That she was for all intents and purposes mostly-naked had him fighting off the beginnings of a raging erection.

Trini caught sight of Kimberly watching them as well, and considered how these two star-crossed lovers ever found each other, screwed it all up, and now found themselves on the verge of a second chance. It was all to amusing. "You know, I thought you were cute too when Kim and I first saw you. I just didn't say it."

Surprise lit Tommy's gaze. "Ohhh, Ms. Kwan, admitting to having a crush on me to way back then?"

"Hardly," she taunted as they danced. "That mullet you wore killed all your sex appeal. But you did have a nice smile."

Tommy blinked. "Mullets were in back then."

"Only in your dreams. And Kim's. Plus, I liked my guys a bit bigger." His "Hey," made her giggle. "Oh please, you didn t need little ole me following you around with my head in the clouds."

"I thought you were kinda sorta cute too."

"Jerk," she smiled as they danced. "Jason's ass was nicer than yours."

"Don't you have to go back to the Peace Conference?" She playfully swatted his shoulder. He was enjoying the moment and it was calming his need to rip that guy off Kim, but she seemed to be having a good time. Why wasn't she staring at him like he was staring at her? Silly, but still. She should be watching him with a longing, and not laughing at something Mr. Fuck Waffle was saying. "So what's his name?"

"Blaine," Trini replied, giggling when her former leader rolled his eyes. Tommy's snort made her laugh as well. "Dear Tommy, are you jealous?"

"Nope. No way. Not even."

Feeling delightfully evil, Trini whispered over the shell of his ear, "Wanna make Kim jealous?"

The right answer was no. As in no way. Not even. Playing games, especially that jealousy card wasn't smart or even nice. But the longer Kim danced with that other guy the more Tommy wanted a bit of politically incorrect redemption. "What do you have in mind?"

"Its uhm... evil."

"How evil?" Tommy felt her arms curl tighter round his neck.

"Kim-might-want-to-strangle-you sort of evil."

Watching that jerk seductively dip Kim as they danced, and then spin her around while she barely glanced his way said it all. "I'm in!"

Trini Kwan, of sound, mind, and body was a genuinely good person with a wicked sense of humor she hid less and less in recent years. And as she got older, her uncanny ability to cause controlled havoc was well-known and feared. Tonight though, she felt playful. And after two Tequila shots she was up for pressing Kimberly's buttons for not revealing that she was banging her ex-honey. This was just a wee bit of sweet revenge. "Tommy, prepare for paradise."

Suddenly, shockingly, the former Yellow Ranger kissed him hungry and hard, locking her mouth over his... and then her questing tongue parted his soft lips, and with a groan they began kissing passionately right there on the dance floor until a few cat-calls and whistles broke them up.

Trini felt a cold, murderously icy stare bore into her from Kimberly, who was not dancing at all anymore, but seemed ready to kill her. Oh boy, Kim was so in love and it was written all over her face. Tommy seemed very pleased at his ex's response, and dare Trini admit he wore a faint blush that just might be her doing. Alas no real sparks flew, but he was a damn good kisser, she had to give him that. And he was totally in love with Kim. Good. "She's going to kill me for this, but that look was worth it."

Tommy tried to hide a smirk as Trini led him, by the hand no less through the partying crowd towards Kim and Blaine as TLC rocked the house. Upon reaching the former Pink Ranger, Trini considered that maybe that kiss wasn't such a good idea. If looks could kill... "Kim, let me steal your handsome date away for a dance and you take this guy. Cool... okay, thanks, later!"

Poor Blaine didn't have time to react before Trini quickly ushered him off while he complained the entire time.

Walking up to Kim, Tommy offered a little smile. "Good evening."

"Fuck you!" Kim growled before turning on her heel. Tommy curled around her forearm and calmly tugged her into his strong arms. God, she felt heavenly, and he knew it wasn't politically correct to think she looked so damn beautiful when she was mad, but she did. "So how's your evening gone so far?"

"Well, my ex-boyfriend and current Fuck-Buddy just ate the mouth of my ex-best friend while I watched and seems to think there's nothing wrong with that, so yeah, I'm doing peachy. Now why don't you go to the bar and drink a glass of Drain-O you dickhead." Kim barely moved in his embrace, fuming at the memory of seeing him kiss Trini like that and the nerve of him to think it was funny. "You know, you're a real fucking jerk Tommy Oliver."

Tommy tried to sway with her, but she wasn't having it. Not one bit. It was like dancing with a mannequin. "That kiss was all Trini's idea."

"Really? So she forced you to shove your tongue down her throat?"

Ohhh, the bitterness! The rage! The green-eyed monster was so apparent and Tommy loved every second of it. But he wasn't going to let her be hurt just cause he wanted to know he could get to her. "Trini knows about us and I think the kiss might of been her way of getting back at you for not telling her," he explained, and before she could chime in, "All I've wanted to do all day long was spend tonight with you. I haven t thought of anything else and when I saw you with Blaine I hated that you weren't even looking my way. I was jealous and wanted to rip his legs off and I'm sorry for kissing Trini."

On one hand, Kimberly thought that was kind of sweet. On the other she wanted to break his hands and face and then run him over with her new car. And that was after strapping a full-length deer-meat dress on Trini and tossing her hog-tied body into a cave of starving Grizzly bears. No, she wasn't psycho. Okay, maybe a little bit. "I got tricked into this date as a favor for my mom, and didn't even know about it until this afternoon. It was a favor for a favor type of deal. Blaine is my mom's boss's son and he was dateless, clueless, and apparently charmless as well."

Chuckling, Tommy felt her begin to sway gently in his arms, cuddling a little closer to him. She was still royally pissed, but didn't appear ready to stab him just yet. It was the opening he needed. "You look absolutely incredible tonight and the only thing i want to do more than just stare at you is rip your costume off and ravish you until you scream my name."

Taking hold of the bone necklace around his neck, Kim drew him down to her parted mouth. Close enough to feel the warmth of his breath and almost taste him. "After kissing Trini, rest assured you are in the dog house. No, you are in the alley behind the dog house. Better yet, you are underneath the dog house." After a moment, she considered, "On second thought, fuck it, you are in the pet cemetery. And trust me, the only pussy you'll get tonight is if you go to a pet store and adopt kittens."

So damn feisty and fully intending on making him pay. Tommy truly loved this crazy chick. "I'm sorry."

"I should tear your balls off and shove them up your ass!"

"Ouch! Such language," he teased.

"How could you do that?" she noted softly, and felt his arms close around her tighter. Dammit, she hated how much she loved how that felt. And even worse, she hated how much she loved him. Her plan this evening was so simple. Party, drink with, dance with, and then fuck Tommy senseless. Post-orgasm, have the big talk and either move forward together or end the Fuck Buddyiness of their summer thus far. He meant to much to her again. But seeing him kiss another woman, Trini no less, really shook her up inside. "That was so not cool in any way. And you know if I kissed Jason or Adam you would have a fit. And Adam has really nice lips. Very kissable."

Squinting, Tommy halted that very second, eying her suspiciously. "Adam has what?"

Kim gave a nonchalant shrug, smiling. "Oh look, the green-eyed Ranger monster is on the prowl," she taunted. "Kissing Trini should have been icky to you, like kissing a sister."

"I do recall a certain letter calling me your brother."

"The blood test proved you weren t a sibling, so it was okay for us too..." she half-smirked as they began dancing again, moving as One the same way they did when they made love. "Do not mistake this pity dance I am giving you that you have been forgiven. You are not forgiven. You will jump through hoops I will provide. Just saying." Warm laughter brushed the shell of her ear as they danced closer, ignoring everything around them. "You can continue the apologizing now."

Clutching her possessively as Trini and Blaine danced by, Tommy began maneuvering them closer toward a huge pillar, right below the still-being-renovated balcony area that overlooked the ground floor. "I am very sorry for kissing Trini," he began while gazing into her beautiful brown eyes. She didn't appear convinced, or maybe was just playing hard to get. "By the way, she kissed me. And her breath was bad. And she was far to tall to kiss properly. I like my girls shorter," he had the nerve to wink at the end.

She felt his charm almost made her forget he was in deep crap with her. But it felt so good to be in his arms again, and the way he looked at her in that costume had her blood boiling. He wanted her badly and she had always loved that. "Compliments?"

"You are the most lovely, sexy, amazing woman in this room. No other woman should even be allowed to walk past you as your tiny hotness drowns them."

She fought off a grin, nibbling her bottom lip. "Promises?"

"I promise to shower you with affection, passion, and orgasms tonight. And then make you breakfast in bed tomorrow."

He certainly had a way with pancakes. Kim arched a brow as she gazed at him. "Oh, so you think I'm going to come back to your place after watching you kiss my best friend? You might need to rethink that plan, hotshot," she teased as they swayed to the soft music.

"No, I figured I'd give you twenty minutes or so." Kimberly scowled as she tried in vain to pull away from him, but he held her closer... and oh so possessively "I am honestly, truly sorry. I wanted to make you jealous because I was jealous." He bowed his head and sighed. "Yes, I know I suck. But all I could think about was how Blaine was making you laugh and giggle and how he was touching you and I just wanted to tear him apart," he hissed through clenched teeth at the end. "Again, I'm sorry."

As they slow-danced behind one of the huge marble pillars, away from everyone. Kim half-expected to be shoved against it and thoroughly kissed. She wanted to slap him even as her body ached for the taste of his mouth again. For the feel of his solid body claiming her own. But he wasn't off the hook yet in the least. She wanted her pound of flesh, 40 acres and the damn mule too. "That was a adequate down payment on the hoops you will jump through tonight as punishment for your infraction." She felt Tommy's strong arms move from around her as his right hand tapped his wrist. "What are you...

Whooooosh!

Suddenly they were teleported to the shadowy unfinished balcony overlooking the expansive floor below. There was a white Grand piano in the corner half-covered by a thin sheet, but otherwise they were all alone, and practically standing in the dark. Capturing Tommy's attention, Kimberly could only shake her head at his audacity. "I retired from being a Power Ranger, but didn't keep my Pterodactyl Thunder-Whip."

"You should of," Tommy commented as he drew her closer, and then he winked. "Might of been fun."

"You're a perv," she half-whispered, and then couldn t stand it anymore cause he was so damn handsome and far to close. She could strangle him for kissing Trini, but wanted to straddle his lap at the same time. Cutely, she batted her eye lashes. "I'm not sure if I like pervs."

Her tone was softly innocent, and yet teasing and taunting as she seductively walked away from him, the sensual sway of her slender hips drawing his full attention as her sinfully erotic slave costume murdered his senses. He wanted her NOW! Right now! Wanted to tear her clothes off and bury his face between her thighs before adding his cock until she screamed his name. But she was still majorly pissed and insistent upon making him pay. Tommy could only follow her with his eyes, giving her the space she obviously needed. "You look amazing tonight."

"I didn't ask." Saucy, but her lips curled into a smile nonetheless. Out of his range of vision, of course. "So, is Trini a good kisser?" Tommy replied without hesitation, "Yes." Turning around, her arms crossed her chest in a clearly frustrated pose. She wanted to fuck him just for looking so damn hot in that pirate outfit, but then stab him repeatedly cause he touched another woman. "Better than me?"

"Never," Tommy answered quietly while closing in on her. She casually back-peddled to the golden balcony railing as the intimacy intensified between them. He effectively trapped her, arms on both sides of her. His invasion of her personal space left her zero room for escape. "No woman has ever, or will ever compare to you in my eyes."

His sincerity caused her to blush, and when she sweetly walked into his chest and his strong arms circled around her, the world became a better place. All summer long they've enjoyed this incredibly intense... something. Something sexual and primal, but meaningful as well. That was the scary part. The reality was that after nearly two full months... God, how she loved this man again. And wanted to run him over with her car, provided that it would even start. Her thoughts were often so random.

Still, squaring her slender shoulders, curious eyes gazed into his. "What do you want from me?"

Tommy was about to capture her soft, pouty mouth until the tense tone of her voice reached his brain. She wasn't being sexy or flirtatious, but serious. Here and now he felt a defining moment approach between them. Gently releasing his hold on her, he tenderly gazed into her lovely brown eyes and spoke from the heart. "You terrify me."

She sighed, and then her head bowed as the past settled between them once more. But to move forward they had to move past this. "No matter what I've said or done... no matter how many times I have apologized, you still don't trust me, do you?"

"I'm trying." Tommy stepped back only far enough to watch her. "I never in my whole entire life loved anyone as much as I loved you," he explained honestly. "But no one's ever hurt me as badly as you did. And that irony isn't lost on me."

She exhaled a deeply held breath, "I was seventeen, Tommy. So were you. We were high school sweethearts and it didn't work out. Happens to millions of people. Its just life."

"My head knows and accepts that. Break-ups and heartaches are things everyone goes through at some point. But at the time I loved you more than anything. And I remember every time you told me the same thing. Every time you told me you loved me and couldn t imagine that ever changing." He paused as a familiar ache burned in his chest. "But it changed."

The heartbreak of her betrayal was still with him, even now, and she hated that she noticed. "I'm sorry, but that's life. We all make mistakes we have to live with... I guess the consequences of my actions are that you don't trust me anymore."

"I never said that," he quickly corrected her. "Like you said, we were both seventeen and circumstances are very different now. I guess... I guess I was just expressing why I haven't pushed for more between us this summer."

That familiar cold clench in her stomach returned as Kimberly tried to navigate these unpredictable emotional waters. "I've never made a bigger mistake than the one I made with how I broke up with you. Not that I did it, because I needed to for my own reasons at that time. But I should have done it differently and with far more respect for you," she began as she took a step forward. Her hand extended to his chest, over his beating heart, resting there, over what she coveted more than her next breath. "But I can't and won't apologize every single day for the rest of my life. Its not healthy and I shouldn t have too. You either accept my apology or you don't. But I can't do any better than this. And you are getting my very best."

After a long, contemplative moment Tommy covered the small hand resting over his chest with his own. "Thank you. Trust me, I believe you are sincere and I accept your apology. And as you well know I'm far from perfect myself, so I'm not going to make an issue of our past every single day. I just hate that I'm afraid of being hurt again."

"And I'm afraid I'm just exercise for you this summer and that I don't really have a shot."

His heart stopped as he gazed into her fragile brown eyes. It dawned on him she was just as scared as he was. Maybe even more-so because now he had the power to hurt her. She... she wanted him again. The notion was a far away dream he dared never to think of. And yet life once again surprised him. "I'm afraid you'll leave me again."

Kimberly blinked... had she, in dealing with her own insecurities over if this entire summer that she was just fun for him while she was falling deeply in love missed that he was falling equally as hard for her? He was afraid she would leave him again... just like he was abandoned by his parents... just like he was abandoned by her. She shook her head as they were both such a mess. "Again, what do you want from me?"

Forcing her back to the balcony banister, Tommy seductively cupped her face with both hands, his voice a loving promise, "Everything."

When he kissed her the entire world faded, as if the loud music gently drifted off and there was only them left in all the universe. This was no chaste kiss like those shared in their innocent youth, or even the punishingly erotic lip-locks they engaged in this summer. No, this was his strong arms around her petite waist and hers looped round his neck, clinging passionately to each other. A long, loving kiss that left them moaning softly as their mouths made love.

His tongue brushed lightly, playing with hers, chasing it inside her mouth as his hands canvassed her lower back. She was half-naked as it was, tempting his resolve in a decadent outfit no man could possibly resist. She tasted divine... so sweet, so lush he swore softly while kissing her. And then for a tender moment he simply held her against his chest and sighed.

Smiling to herself, Kimberly felt him caress the top of her head with his chin as he held her tightly now. Trapped against the banister and the roaring party below, Tommy thoroughly kissed her again. She drew on his tongue over and over within the warm confines of her mouth, her breath mingling with his even as her inner muscles clenched with envy. She wanted him, God, she wanted him more than her next breath or any she'd ever taken. She loved him and craved him and he just couldn t stop touching her. Holding her so close... "I'm still mad at you," she gasped, and then felt him smile over her lips. "You are so not forgiven for kissing Trini." She gave a sharp intake of air, and then a small smile began at the edge of her mouth when his lips danced lightly over the side of her neck, his tongue lapping just over her pulse. "I kinda want to kill you," she moaned, her nails digging into his shoulders.

"I want you," he grunted when the palm of her hand began playing with his throbbing cock, smoothing over the front his black cargo pants. "I need you," he declared hotly while sucking on her neck as she stroked over him. "I have to have you."

Her center was wet just from the sensual timber of his voice alone. Oh how it turned her on when he was all possessive and bold. Such a stark contrast to the shy innocence of their old relationship.

Kimberly took his hand, casually running it up the side of her bare hip, allowing him the knowledge that she wasn't wearing underwear tonight underneath the barely-there skirt. Not even so much as a thong. His audible groan made her knees tremble.

"Have to have you," Tommy inhaled her little gasp when he captured her mouth again. A tiny pop noise sounded when he relinquished her lips, his gaze focused on her pouty little mouth. "Turn around."

Kim blinked, her heart racing as a tremble rolled over her. "What if someone looks up here?"

"Let'em watch," he declared so quietly as she spun around, slowly spreading her legs, bending over, her fists grabbing onto the banister.

"Tommy...ohgod, baby..." Sensory overload swept over Kim as the roaring party below coupled with the strong hands cupping and firmly kneading her backside. She felt him push her skirt apart as he knelt behind her. The faint wisp of his warm breath over her sex caused her to shiver... and then her hips bucked against his suddenly sucking mouth. As he lashed the swollen nub of her clit with the flat of his tongue, she bent over farther, giving herself to his hunger. This forbidden act in public, that they could be caught or even watched turned her inside out as she rocked against his tongue. All summer long it had been this way... this reckless, wild passion they couldn t resist. "Fuck," she swore through clenched teeth, shaking as he devoured her with ravenous intent.

With every long, soft lick she tasted so good, and his cock was so hard. She was bent over this railing wearing those damn Fuck-Me heels, looking so damn hot he just couldn t think straight. "You drive me crazy!"

"Good... so good." Her legs grew weak as he stroked her with his tongue, alternating between long, lush licks and wickedly fast lashes before sucking her whole, causing her toes to curl. The hungry, erotic sounds he made were music to her ears, nearly as arousing as his mouth making love to her from behind.

The cry that rumbled from deep within her chest made his cock throb so strongly. The sheer heat from between her thighs... the sensual scent of her... so slick against his tongue... He couldn t stand it a moment more, rising to his feet. The cargo pants and his underwear were discarded in record time.

Fierce, desperate hunger, protectiveness, and fiery passionate love consumed him as he pressed the head of his cock to her rosy entrance, and then thrust-ed to the hilt. She cried out, his gaze noticing the knuckles of her hands angrily grasping at the railing. Her tight femininity quivered around his cock as he fully entered the welcoming heat of her.

Pure bliss... Tommy took hold of her slender hips and began thoroughly fucking her from behind. That she was still wearing the full Slave Leia outfit only amplified how badly he craved her. "Can't ever get enough of you... always, always want you!"

"Yes, ohFuck, Tommy..." Her eyes shut, chest straining for breath as the sounds of the huge party below echoed with the heady grunting noises they made. She felt so small and taken, being fucked like a animal and loving every damn second of it. Her low groans... his surging hips... the impacting slaps of flesh as the sensation of pure fullness left her clenching snug around him. He was so hard inside her, teasing her with lazy withdrawals, followed by smooth, deep glides all the way back inside that made her shiver. "Best you ever had?"

"... hell yeah," he declared his heaving chest brushing over her back as he bent over her, taking her so deep and hard as she met his thrusts with her own, shoving back at him vigorously. The tightening of her inner muscles combined with the rasp of her voice was evidence enough that she was so close. He wanted her flying over the edge, overwhelmed, cumming so hard with him buried inside her. Now he understood crimes of passion because the thought of another man ever having her again left him ready to kill. "Cum for me... cum so hard, baby!"

A low, throaty moan escaped her lips as he sank into her deeply, his hands clutching onto her slender hips. Deep, hard fucking claimed her as her entire body was on the edge of a lightening bolt. She aggressively arched her pelvis, meeting his surging thrusts, her body tensing as she was so damn close. Tiny feminine grunting noises exhaled after his every invasion as she panted heavily. Her head fell gently to rest on the banister, her body shaking, eyes shut, panting over her wrist.

"Fuuuccck! ohGod!" Kimberly's back arched sharply, her inner muscles jerking hard around him as crashing wave after pleasurable wave roared through her torso. Her forehead pressed to the banister, her fists gripping it tightly as her body gently swerved back against him. Gasping behind her, he held her in place as she came hard, her teeth gritting, the muscles in her arms tensing... until she was boneless as he rested over her.

Pulling gently from inside her, Tommy's arm as hooked beneath her knees and lifted her in his arms. She moaned a query, but he simply carried her over to the huge white grand piano in the dark corner and laid her down on the smooth white top, her legs dangling just off the edge. Through hooded eyes she watched him, absolutely enthralled by his desperate, intense gaze. What connected them was as primal as it was vital... elemental, romantic, achingly poignant. Tempered by fire and passion and anger and pain and an endless love somehow reborn after all this time.

She rested on the edge of the piano as he parted the space between her legs, brushing her skirt aside. He was angry-hard, taunted by the carnal scent of her... of them, even as his hands firmly grasped her legs, drawing her ankles just over his shoulders. She tried to speak, her bottom lip trembling as coherent thought fled her mind when he pushed all the way back inside her until they were one.

The subtle parting of her beautiful mouth... the soft moan that escaped... the arch of her neck as he buried his face there and breathed in the intoxicating scent of her left him dizzy with emotion for this incredible woman. The tight, hot sheath of her drove him mad as no matter how many times he fucked her, he always wanted more. Always felt, noticed, tasted, or found some new and incredible thing about her. Another facet of her that he was almost obsessively drawn too. Slowly he withdrew, and then dove back inside deeply... fully. "I can't believe how good you feel, Beautiful."

The husky rasp of his voice made her smile even as she gritted her teeth when his cock spread her flesh, pulsing deeply inside her. "I still can't believe you... ahhh... kissed Trini." He bent down to her, stealing one little kiss after another until she turned her cheek, smirking. Her voice simmered, "I shouldn t give you any pussy at all."

"You love me," he noted teasingly as their breath mingled. "That's why."

"Hardly," she retorted, even as the hot friction of him gliding in and out of her left her body straining towards another climax already. "Been there, done that. Got the green and white t-shirt to prove it."

Tommy cursed under his breath as every inch of him sank into her, causing his vision to go dark behind shut eyes. "I know," he said while withdrawing every so slowly, "That you," surging fully into her as a whiny little cry fled her lips, "Love me."

She did, deeply... painfully so. And wanted nothing more in this world than for him to love her back just as profoundly. Her tongue brushed at the corner of her mouth, grinning evilly at him. "You're the one," she taunted him as his hands gripped her hips, fucking her harder now, "Who is in love with me."

Her breath hitched in her throat as he took her with force, every deep thrust delivered while gazing into her eyes, fucking on top of this grand piano with a huge party providing the background noise to their love making.

Tommy fiercely sucked on her lower lip as her hands tightly gripped his forearms. He felt her trembling once more, and his own self-control was waning. He wanted her so badly, all the time and even more every waking second. He loved her again, and possibly never truly stopped, heartbreak and all. Bending down over her, he caught the lobe of her ear between his teeth, nipping and softly biting it. She quivered, half-pushing him away, half clutching him tighter. Panting hot over her ear, he whispered, "Tell me you love me."

Panting hotly, Kimberly shook her head, fighting the pleasurable sensations threatening to rip her apart.

"Say it," Tommy pleaded while urgently, desperately fucking her. She fought him with her silence, even as her sex pulsed around him. Even as her soft little moaning crippled his senses as surely as the warm, hot feel of her wrapped around him devoured more of his heart by the second. He was so close, dying to lose himself inside her, but wanted her to be swept into oblivion first. "Tell me you love me, or I won't let you cum."

Her body was strung tight, shaking, needing him to go just a little faster and then she would be flying... but he slowed and she was fast losing that sweet death... her body straining for it. "Damn you!"

"Say it," ordered again, fucking her harder until she began shaking, and then pulling back to lazy thrusts that left her frustrated beyond words, cursing his name softly under her breath. But he lived to hear her say those three little words. "Beautiful, please."

Her arms captured round his neck, drawing him down to her, when her mouth ascended to kiss him so hard as her hips began rocking in time with his now violent thrusts as all pretenses were lost! The animal in them both had taken over, and for once she was flying without a emotional safety net. After a long lick of his lips, she gave up the ghost, her tone the softest whisper. "... I love you."

The words burned him. Through him. Through everything he was or would be. Never had he felt so broken and whole at the same time. "Again, baby," begged for while taking her harder, yanking her slender body back to his deep, impacting thrusts. "Say it again!"

Sweating and sore and hot and ten shades of lust-crazed, she spoke from the heart even as she felt him shaking in her arms. "I love you...god, so much."

"Again!"

Her face twisted in ecstasy as he fucked her loudly, taking her relentlessly until the sheer, wild abandonment roared through her. She came, wailing in his ear, "I love you...ahhhh I love you... I love you!" She felt him throb within her, grow so impossibly hard, and then her name fled his lips as urgently as the bursts of wet heat filled her so fully with the very essence of him.

Silence... deafening silence...

As incredibly high as that deliriously fantastic climax was, her heart sank as she considered he never returned her sentiment. Never once tonight...never once during their entire summer long affair.

Not one time.

And for the first time since kissing him in Rocky's basement a lifetime ago, she felt used and cheap. She felt a emptiness within that was so mind-blowingly disappointing she shoved Tommy away before he could see the tears wet her eyes.

The next ten minutes were an embarrassing blur of rushing off to the nearest bathroom... of Tommy chasing after her, banging on the door, asking what was wrong... of her tending to a modestly presentable state, and then racing past him through the thick crowds of party-goers before he could catch her out the nearest back exit. Time and time again she heard her name called, but the last thing she wanted to do was talk to him. Not now.

Not after having made such a fool of herself.

All summer long, all those kisses, sleeping beside him, all that crazy intense passion and finally sharing the parts of themselves that were older and new... Kimberly hated how foolish she was to think he honestly felt more than lust. Her mind was a haze of pain as she thought of how he enjoyed sleeping with her and was so affectionate, but he wanted nothing more than for her to fall in love with him again. Maybe this was his revenge, she thought painfully as her heels clicked over the concrete pavement. To have her so emotional vulnerable and then she would know how he felt when she broke his heart and walked away.

She was certain he truly loved her at one time, long ago. But to him, she was sure this summer was little more than recreational fun, and for that she felt almost like a whore.

How could she have been so stupid?

He never said the words...

While dodging a security guard's question of if she was alright, she quickly retrieved her purse and car keys from the parking lot office. Tommy didn't tell her he loved her. That raged through her mind and broke her heart every step towards her car as she dodged his shouting calls of her name when he finally caught sight of her again. Her right hand trembled as she tried to put her key in her lock, and then they slipped from her grasp. She swore loudly, brushing away tears, her heart breaking ever so slowly...

Kim, being as petite and short as she was quickly disappeared into the thick crowds of party-goers before he could catch up to her. And then he lost sight of her soon after. Searching frantically, he sought Trini and Jason, but neither saw the former Pink Ranger or could get him to explain just what the hell was going on.

He didn't have time to explain what he wasn't sure he himself even understood.

Upon racing outside, he described her to a nearby security guard, who said she had just walked by a few minutes ago. And she was crying.

His heart sank.

Shaking his head as guilt ate away at him, he knew pushing her for the 'I love you' was as selfish as it was arousing to him at the time. The new-found chemistry they shared carried with it a competitiveness that he enjoyed as she was feisty and all too alluring. But love crept back in when he wasn't looking, and on the very night he was finally ready to accept what was happening again... he screwed it all up.

Kimberly's new black Ford Taurus sped out of the lot as he watched it disappear into the night. His truck was on the other side of the parking lot, but for once he thought rather than reacted.

As his head bowed, hands on his hips, Tommy wondered what was it that made her react so powerfully. He worried that maybe he'd been to aggressive sexually, but couldn t wrap his mind around that one as they were both so into it all summer long. He knew kissing Trini made her angry, but that didn't seem like a deal breaker. Yes, it wasn't politically correct to essentially beg her to say she loved him, but...

He hadn't said it back.

It hit him like a ton of bricks. No, more like a 747 crashing down on him. The words were her truth, not just a passion-laced declaration. She truly, deeply loved him again and giving him that moment when she was at her most open and vulnerable, he offered her nothing in return.

Its so easy for the one who's heart was broken to imagine that the person who did it didn't suffer or feel anything at all. He recalled wondering if she even cried once after writing the letter when he couldn t sleep for a week. His thoughts were centered on his pain. His embarrassment in being dumped in a letter and all the other stupid elements that didn't in any way rank against real tragedies in the world.

At the end of the day a high school relationship broke up. And then world didn't end.

Out of nowhere the heavens thundered overhead, raining down upon him as Angel Grove's wildly unpredictable weather swept over in in sheets of heavy rain. He stood perfectly still, knowing that he should have told her he loved her too. But the words didn't come. They're with him, burned into his heart for her alone, but tonight he failed her and it ate away at him like nothing ever had before.

She didn't want to talk. Not tonight, and driving to her house might make things even worse than they already were. He wanted to argue that if she hadn't run off she would have gotten exactly what she gave to him. But he knows he should have never pushed that hot button to begin with. He wanted what he wanted, her passionately proclaiming her love for him again after she once threw it away as if it meant nothing. And when it was time to step up to the plate, the words choked in his throat. And now her heart was broken.

Even as his had finally healed.

Sighing, Tommy solemnly trekked in the pouring rain towards his truck. Love was still the great mystery he hadn't figured out all the angles to yet, not that at his age or any other could a perfect answer be found. But somehow, someway he was going to make this up to Kimberly. And when he did she would never, ever doubt she owned his heart, and he would forever protect hers.

**The End of Chapter 4**

**The Finale: By her side...**


	5. Chapter 5

**Title: "The Long, Hot Summer"**  
><strong>Written by: Shawn <strong>

**Chapter (5/5)**

**Summary: By her side...**

**Category: Erotica/Romance/Angst **

**Rating: Hard NC-17 **

**Timeline/Spoilers: Summer of 1997 following the Power Rangers Turbo season - Rangers have passed the Torch - Zack, Trini, and Jason have returned from the Peace Conference. Billy is healed and fine.**

**Disclaimer: Saban owns it all again.**

**Authors Notes 1: Slightly AU time-line wise as Rangers are all 20 or so here - Tommy/Kim never had their talk after the events of the Turbo movie as she went right back to Florida. This story will span the entire summer of 1997.**

**Authors Notes 2: Love, regret, passion, anger, and growing up are all issues explored here.**

**Authors Notes 3: This series will be a series of 1 scene chapters and I will only post this when all five are done. Then I will post each one day after the other.**

**"The heart has its reasons that reason knows nothing of."**  
><strong>~ Blaise Pascal<strong>

**St. Jude Hospital**

** Tuesday, August 16, 1997 2:45 AM**

** Los Angeles, Ca**

Life happened.

No one was immune to it. That unexpected heartbreak when you were so sure you got it right this time... that layoff just as you were planning to start a family... a doctor's terrible diagnosis when you were certain there was nothing to worry about... that car that came out of nowhere even when you were paying such close attention to the road... that horribly unexpected 2:00 AM hospital phone call that tragically shocked you wide awake from a peaceful sleep.

With her eyes shut, Kimberly Hart sat alone in the sterile waiting room, dreading every outside footstep she heard as she waited for the doctor to return with news about her mother's current condition. Caroline had complained all evening about a terrible Migraine headache. One that had her daughter so concerned she decided to spend the night with her just to keep an eye on her.

Two hours later Kimberly heard her mother stumble out into the upstairs hallway. She shot out of bed to find Caroline had collapsed in front of the bathroom, seemingly in the throes of a seizure. Kim quickly realized this was very serious and dialed 911 immediately.

The next hour was a terrifying blur of activity that left Kim feeling helpless as she learned her mother had a brain aneurysm. One that caused bleeding in the space closely surrounding her brain and was a very dangerous condition. She was taken away while the doctor explained how serious this was, and how lucky they were to bring her in so fast.

But Caroline still might die tonight. And if she survived there was the real possibility of brain damage, memory loss, and or paralysis. Her strong, independent mother; Kim just couldn t imagine it.

How could this have happened? Caroline Hart worked out twice a week, didn't smoke or do drugs. She ate right and had regular check-ups. She was active all the time. Kimberly shook her head while fighting off a fresh wave of tears at how unfair life was sometimes. Her mom hadn't complained about anything physically in... years, Kim tried to recall.

Life happened.

It could be cruel, unfair, unbiased, and completely unexpected.

Beside her sat a full cup of coffee she hadn t drank a sip of. She didn't need caffeine to stay awake tonight. Her Dad and brother were trying to catch red-eye flights out of their respective States as soon as they could. Her mom's sister Pamela was nine months pregnant and couldn t make the trip, but wanted hourly updates. Her uncle was overseas and unreachable at the moment.

Kimberly knew that within one phone call word would spread to her friends and she'd be surrounded by all of them. She was ever so grateful to be able to count on so many people that truly loved and cared for her, but she didn't want that tonight. A crowd just felt like to much to deal with, and before she even realized it she had dialed Tommy's number. It rang several times before his barely conscious voice picked up. She didn't recall what she said outside of her mother being ill, the name of the hospital, and that she needed him to come alone.

On the other end of the phone she heard the desperate rustle of clothes and him promising her, "Give me ten minutes."

She didn't call anyone else, needing to know her mom's condition before she could face the gang. But her heart needed Tommy with her, and no matter the painfully puzzling state of their... whatever it was, she reached out to him.

Fast-moving footsteps were heard just before the waiting room doors pushed open. Tommy looked around frantically, finding a very pale Kim seated on a couch all by herself. He had on jeans, a white t-shirt and sneakers. He looked like a disheveled mess, but he drove as fast as he could to get here. His heart sank at the somber expression in her eyes. Dear God no! He suddenly couldn't move. "Kim, is she..."

"No," she smiled weakly, visibly trembling, and then breathed a sigh of relief when he swiftly approached her. A heartbeat later she was within the warm embrace of his arms, clutching tightly to him. Her face buried in his chest as she began to sob, her fists clutching handfuls of his t-shirt. Warm tears soaked through the soft white fabric as he held onto her, cradling her petite form. Scared eyes lifted to greet his own. "She's alive, but she's in emergency surgery right now to stop the bleeding. She had a brain aneurysm."

Tommy gasped loudly, knowing so very little about anything to do with that sort of condition. "Okay, what do we know so far?"

As they took a walk around the hospital's 6th floor just to get Kim moving, she caught him up everything that happened tonight. He listened closely, her hand in his as they stopped by a large window, gazing out at the night sky.

"One in fifteen people will have a brain aneurysm in their lifetime," Kim repeated what the doctor had told her. "My mom," she trembled as fear gripped her tightly, her hand rising to cover her face as she crumbled. "There could be permanent brain damage or paralysis even if they stop the bleeding and save her life. There is no quick fix to this. Her way of life is..."

Tommy gathered her into his arms once more, clutching her tightly, resting his chin on top of her head. "For the moment lets trust in the doctors, educate ourselves on the condition, and then deal with where we are right now," he began, brushing her hair back softly. Oh how he would give his life to protect her from any pain. She was terrified for her mom, and so was he. "Its always good to know the possibilities, but lets deal with the facts when they come in. For now we wait and read some of the literature the doctor gave you."

"Thank you for coming."

"Where else would I be?"

She nodded gratefully, brushing her hand lightly over his cheek, simply needing to touch him. This was where he belonged. Where she belonged too. But the time to address that wasn't right now.

**2 and a half hours later**

5:15 AM

"Please."

Kimberly shooed the ham and Swiss deli sandwich away, but did take at least take a little nibble of a croissant. Her eyes locked with Tommy's. "There, are you happy?"

"No, but its a start," Tommy noted as they sat together in the hospital cafeteria. The corner booth was small and maroon colored in decor. He'd returned to her with food just a short time ago, hoping to help her keep her strength up. Her eyes were red from crying and worry, something he longed to take away from her. Even as he knew that he couldn't, he vowed to stay by her side.

Surveying the quiet cafeteria, Tommy found only four other people sat around them. He couldn t help wondering what each of their stories were. The older Hispanic gentleman sitting alone who looked drained and exhausted. The two Indian girls who sat across from them appeared to be sisters in appearance, eating without uttering a word to each other, seemingly lost in their own thoughts. The African-American woman reading a Oncology booklet while nursing a steaming cup of coffee.

Tommy could only hope for the best for them. He then turned his attentions back to Kimberly. "Eat a little more, please."

Kim wanted to swat him good, but knew he was only looking after her. She finished off half the croissant, but couldn t force anymore down. Ever since the doctor told her just a few minutes ago that her mother survived the emergency surgery, a tiny swell of hope grew within her. But they were a long way from home until she woke up, and even then the road ahead...

His soft, hesitant caress felt wonderful as she visually traced the way he held her hand between them. She stared down at their joined hands, pondering how anything could look so right. But her thoughts were foremost with her mother. The possibility of permanent damage to her brain was still present, even as the doctor told her to remain hopeful as the surgery went very well. "Life is so crazy sometimes."

Squeezing her hand, Tommy nodded. "You have to be grateful for every day you're alive and take nothing for granted. Easier said than done, but that's how it goes."

"There was nothing at all special about tonight," Kimberly considered out loud as she exhaled deeply. "It's her birthday or some special occasion. It was just another Monday night. We both went to work, came home, and then I met her for dinner. We ate Mac and Cheese and baked chicken. It was so average," she half-smiled as her nails lightly rapped at the table. "Then out of the blue she almost died." The tenor of her voice trembled as Tommy gathered her closer. "She almost died," whispered painfully from her lips. "She doesn't deserve this. She gives blood and does volunteer work and is so good to people. She's such an amazing mother. Why is this happening to her? I just don't understand God sometimes."

"Neither do I," Tommy replied while holding her closely. He pressed a dear kiss to her temple, resting his head against hers while gently rocking her. "Life throws so many unpredictable and unfair things at you, but you can't never give up. You keep fighting and you don't stop no matter how bad things look."

"Sometimes even when you do all of that, things still don't work out in the end."

"At least you know you tried your best. Nothing is promised to anyone."

The countless lives saved and lost when they served as Rangers crossed her mind. Kimberly paused for a brief moment, dreading what she was about to say. "The doctor told me that half the people who survive brain aneurysm's suffer some form permanent neurological damage."

"Whatever happens, your Mom won't face anything alone. And neither will you."

A tender smile curved the corner of her mouth. When he yawned she was reminded of how long a day he probably had, and that he was here with her all night simply because she needed him. He rushed to her side as fast as he could when she called him, and that meant the world to her.

Suddenly Tommy felt Kimberly's hand death-grip him. He glanced down the hall as the doctor treating Ms. Hart approached them quickly.

**2 hours later**

7:15 AM

Leaning against the wall outside of Caroline Hart's intensive care hospital room, Tommy thoroughly studied a pamphlet on surviving brain aneurisms. He read about how unique each case was depending on the severity of the condition, what was to be realistically expected throughout therapy, and what was hoped for in the way of going back to living as normal a life as possible.

The long road to recovery wasn't a promised one. It seemed that some amount of memory loss was a given. Add into that the issues of lost motor functions that needed to be relearned and the very real possibility of some paralysis illuminated that though Caroline was still alive, she had a tough journey ahead of her before she resumed some semblance of a normal life. The next days, weeks, months and years were going to require such patience, determination, courage, and love.

But Ms. Hart was a woman he knew was up to any task. She was a fighter, and failure was not an option.

Folding the pamphlet in half as his mind was a bit overwhelmed by so much information that was kinda over his head, he slipped it in his back pocket. Caroline was still unconscious, but breathing on her own without the help of a respirator. Her doctor told them the surgery could not have gone better, and there was cause for hope that the long-term issues she might face may be minimal. But that was no guarantee. Thank goodness for the skilled paramedic that recognized what Caroline had wasn't a seizure as he didn't use the heart paddles to revive her. For if he had he might of killed her.

Shaking his head, Tommy's thoughts turned to the young woman behind the closed door. Kimberly sat at her mother's bedside, holding her hand. She was talking to her mother, no doubt begging her to fight and promising that she wasn't going to go through any of this alone. Tommy watched her through the partially opened curtain, his heart going out to her. He had worried and been so frustrated over the state of things between them, as well as his rapidly regressing racing career, and so many little things that just didn't seem to matter anymore. For if you had your health you had just about everything you needed. All the rest was window dressing and decision making.

Ten minutes ago Tommy called his parents just to hear their voices. Just to tell them what happened and that he loved them and that he never wanted to take them or even one single day for granted. They told him they would pray for Caroline and stop by after work to see her. He thanked them, told them he loved them again, and then resumed his protective watch over Kimberly.

The hospital door opened as Kim slipped out, and then quietly shut it. The former Pink Ranger seemed a bit stronger, summoning her courage as she offered him a small, fragile smile. "This isn't going to be easy. In fact, its going to be the fight of her life."

Tommy nodded as she quietly crossed over to him, and then leaned against the wall beside him. He followed her line of vision from where they stood, knowing that she now knew he was watching over her the whole time. She gave him a silent thank you. "I read the entire pamphlet twice." He slipped his arm, around her waist, pulling her closer as their shared warmth soothed them both. They drew strength from each other. "She's alive and she's a fighter. She's going to get her life back."

"Yes, but not her old one," Kimberly replied honestly, fighting her way through a yawn. "Not entirely."

"At least she has a life to go after at all. So many brain aneurism victims die before they are reached or on the operating table. Your mom survived. She's a fighter and somehow, someway she will conquer this."

Kimberly leaned into his solid form, seeking this familiar closeness, ever thankful he knew just what she needed to hear. He knew her so well it astounded her. "I know I've said this already, but thank you for staying with me all night."

Coming from her side, Tommy stood before her. His humble gaze reached her brown eyes. "I'm in love with you."

She sighed peacefully, and then smiled. "I know." It really was that easy to admit and acknowledge. And the world didn't end either. "I'm in love with you too."

They enjoyed the gentle, sweet acceptance of their declarations to each other. After all the days of misunderstanding and hurt feelings over when he should have said it, or why she took what happened the way that she did, it was his actions today that spoke to her loud and clear. They weren t some fairy tail couple or some high school fantasy. High school was done and this was the real world, complete with all that came with the title of being a adult.

There were scars, tears, painful memories, and regret mixed in with passion, the sweetest love, and such a powerful connection that bonded them once more. They simply wanted to be together more than anything else in their individual lives.

'They' were worth fighting for.

Feeling relieved, Tommy curled his hand around hers, holding it between them. "We don't have to talk about anything to do with us right now, you know. I just wanted you to know how I feel about you and I never want you to doubt it again."

Kimberly tugged his hand along as they began walking down the long hall. "After what's happened to my mom, talking about us feels easy," she explained. "Its given me a new perspective on what's truly important. I've been driving myself crazy over us and asking myself a million and one questions."

She continued, "I just wanted to enjoy my last summer before college, and I did. That was because of you. We were just so..." she blushed, and then squeezed his hand. "We were wild and carefree, and nothing else mattered. I thought we'd enjoy a sexy affair and then walk away as friends, but every single time we kissed I wanted more. I didn't want to want more, but I did. And I was terrified you just wanted me sexually... but deep down I knew you felt more."

"I did," he agreed as two nurses walked by. "I was losing my mind over how much I missed you every day. I was just scared because of everything that happened with the letter," he revealed. "Guys come with a whole set of insecurities we try very hard to never reveal. I was scared of giving all of me to you again. I thought that if I did and it didn't work out, I wouldn t have anything left. But tonight just reminded me that life isn't promised and you have to be brave with your heart."

"So we're gonna be brave?" Kim smiled lightly, her voice a tiny tease.

"I hope so, but I'll understand if this isn't the right time with everything going on."

She was thankful he was so understanding, but she didn't need to think about this anymore. "I'm not going to have a ton of free time between work, school, and helping my mom. I'm just being honest with you now."

"If I offered to help you with your mom, would you accept it?" he asked as they stepped onto a elevator.

"Of course, but it won't be a lot romantic time. Nights of just us going out to dinner and a movie might be few and far between in the foreseeable future." She exhaled as the sheer weight of what was to come swept over her. The magnitude of the journey ahead that her mother faced, but would not face alone. "Us starting again is going to come with a lot of sacrifice and understanding. Are you ready for that?"

"I love you with all my heart, Kim. I'm more than ready. I'm determined we get it right this time. Whatever you face, I'll be by your side."

"Ditto," she smiled as they stepped off the elevator and walked toward the hospitals entrance. The doors opened, revealing a bright, sunny new day. The dark night, ever terrifying, had passed. "I've got to go to the airport to pick up my Dad and brother. Will you call the gang and tell them what happened?"

"Of course," he nodded as they walked toward the parking garage. "Will you have lunch with me?"

"That's not a marriage proposal," she smiled.

"Gonna work my way up to that in a few years."

"Good time-line." She leaned into him, and as he bent down to her she rose to meet his mouth, kissing him thoroughly. The absolute bliss of the moment gently fell back into the reality of the day. Nonetheless they held each other for a long moment before releasing. "I love you."

"I love you too."

**The End**


End file.
